G. A. Hauser

I started this book right after reading another of the author's books, "The Kiss". While that book was a bit disappointing, this one made me an instant fan. "Naked Dragon" is a well done gay romantic mystery with a more serious tone.

David Harris is a police officer. When the story opens, he has been called to the scene of another brutally murdered young Asian man. Seattle has a serial killer, and he's hunting in Dave's district. But, the killer has struck in two other states so the FBI is show more stepping in to help. Agent Robbie Taylor is "psychic." So, he knows the killer is far from done, and also that Dave is attracted to him. Robbie quickly invites Dave back to his place. This is Dave's first time with another man, and Robbie eerily knows that too. So, their first sexual encounter is frenzied, but paradoxically tender as well. The characters have very good chemistry, and their instant attraction and consummation is very believable in this story. They are under a lot of stress from a tense and dangerous case; Dave has been keeping his feelings tightly under wraps so his fellow officers don't discover he's gay and Robbie is still working to earn the respect of his fellow agents who think he's weird or crazy. All these factors lend a certain gravitas to the story that isn't often found in gay romance, even mysteries. And, the serial killer is BRUTAL. Hauser doesn't sugar-coat the murder mystery. The men need to take solace in each other as the killer gets more and more out of control the closer Robbie gets to catching him. Their passion slowly evolves into love that keeps them going.

One aspect of the novel I really liked was Robbie's ability. Throughout the novel, he anticipates not only Dave's and other people's thoughts, but also the killer's actions. Yet Hauser never confirms that he's actually psychic, or if he's just enormously gifted in observation (such as the characters from television's Psych and the Mentalist). It prevents the character from being laughable, and places him in the real world. Another good point is how the author tackles stereotypes head on, but in a subtle way. Robbie's fellow agents quickly pick-up that Robbie and Dave have a relationship. They are surprised "that big, black cop is gay." Robbie takes them down a peg for their prejudice with some pointed remarks that bring home how intelligent he is, and the issues he and Dave must contend with. The law enforcement community is not known for its open-mindedness, and being ostracized could put their lives in danger if back-up doesn't show. Robbie and Dave both earn the respect of their fellows with their professionalism and determination on the case, but these issues still linger. This isn't the first interracial romance I've read, but I liked how Hauser handled it - which was not at all. Readers get a physical description of each man, and the men express how attracted they are to each other, but the fact that one is black and the other white is irrelevant to them.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent story. The book has a lot of action as the men chase the killer, and the conclusion was exciting. Though the resolution of Dave living in Seattle and Robbie in Virginia was blatantly predictable, it worked anyway. Both characters are engaging, realistic and their romance is lovely. The sex is hot and frequent, but not too explicit. I found this to be a romantic mystery rather than erotica. The very dark case was a surprisingly good back drop for the romance - it's in our darkest hour that we need our loved ones the most. I would love to see a sequel with these two characters on another case; this would make a great series! show less

Bryan Tyler is a computer magnate living in Seattle, Washington. At the age of twenty-four, already he is a millionaire. Amidst the AIDS pandemic, Bryan has resigned himself to a life of celibacy. Having witnessed the deaths of numerous friends, he is overwhelmed with paranoia and fear. When he notices a newspaper article featuring a fifteen-year old orphan in need of adoption, Bryan devises a plan which he hopes will fill the lonely void within his life. He vows to offer this boy a foster show more home, and in return he expects that a meaningful and satisfying relationship will ensue.Julian O’Connor is the young orphan boy. Unbeknownst to Bryan or the Child Protective Services of Washington, Julian is also gay. While housed in the orphanage, he began sexual experimentation with one of his bunk mates. When to his surprise he’s informed of his possible release into the foster care of an unmarried heterosexual couple, Julian realizes that he must carefully guard the secret of his sexual orientation. When Julian discovers that his new foster home is not what he’d originally envisioned, he begins to put the pieces together. His guardian, Bryan, does not appear to have a female partner at all. It also seems to Julian that most of Bryan’s friends are homosexual. It doesn’t take long until Julian has Bryan pegged. He knows his foster father is gay, and Julian is starting to fall in love with him.If you are at all like me, up until this point in the story, you are sure to be captivated. The premise of this plot is very gripping, and it has the potential to be an amazing, heart-rending story. The problem, however, is that instead of a beautiful father/son relationship developing with this young boy and his gay foster parent, a sexual relationship blossoms. Now before you throw the book at me for being closed-minded and prudish, please hear me out. I’m 100% in favor of consenting adults of any gender pursuing the romantic relationships which bring them personal fulfillment. Whether these be Dom-sub, me'nage trois, homosexual, transgendered, or traditional relationship, is of no consequence to me. I even am in favor of examining and rethinking our age-of-consent standards. So what then is my problem with this particular relationship?Julian is a fifteen year old boy who still sleeps with a stuffed rabbit. He has been sheltered his entire life, raised in an orphanage. He’s at the cusp of his adolescence, beginning to emerge as a young man physically, yet emotionally and mentally still a mere child. He is placed in a situation where a man nine years his senior has all of the power. This man provides for him, clothes and feeds him, and makes literally all of his decisions. I was so astonished and heartbroken when I watched this story unfold, that it actually moved me to tears, and I do not mean this in a complimentary way. I’m absolutely flabbergasted that an author would actually use a story such as this to make a case for adult-child romantic and sexual intimacy. As a victim of child sexual abuse, I am particularly disgusted by this portrayal.What is further disturbing to me, is that this young boy was not only exposed to this twisted and convoluted sort of sexually permissive rationalization, he also was led into a lifestyle in which he was suddenly treated as an adult. On the second day of residence in his home, Julian was invited to have a couple beers with his foster father, and from that point forward he was provided alcohol throughout the story. At one point in the story, the boy even performs oral sex on his foster dad while an audience of two friends (one male and one female) eagerly watch and cheer them on. They also engage in a game of strip poker.There is a period of separation in the plot in which Julian is temporarily removed from the home, and he becomes so distraught with depression that he bangs his head against a brick wall which results in a head injury and placement into the psych ward. The child protective services authorities ultimately decide to release Julian back to the care of Bryan because they determine the cause of his suicidal ideation is the separation itself. WHAT???!Obviously I have very strong negative opinions about this plot, and as much as I respect the success and writing credentials of this otherwise brilliant author, I find this particular book to be deplorable. The last thing on earth that I would ever want to do in gay-themed literature would be to feed into the negative stereotypes where gay men are perceived as loathsome pedophiles. I think this book does exactly that! Does liberal-minded actually mean that we must have no boundaries whatsoever? Are we supposed to be able to ignore the reality that this is a child and an adult who are making love to one another and simply see the “beauty” of their feelings?On another note, there were some inconsistencies in the setting of the story. It was 1987, and although the technology that was mentioned within the story was accurate to a degree (i.e. VHS players, cassette tapes, etc.) there was some technology present which had not yet been introduced in the 80’s. The Internet was created in the late 70’s and was used on a very limited basis throughout the 80’s. It was not until the early-to-mid 90’s that the Internet became available worldwide, yet it is talked about as such within this story. Cell phones were also used in the story, and they did not emerge until the late 90’s. On a positive note, I loved the conversational and informal writing style of this author. I look forward to reading her adult erotic material, and I have little doubt that it will be sizzling hot. I also think the dialogue was strongly written, and the vocabulary was impressive. I cannot recommend this particular book, however. I take ownership of my own biases as they relate to this review, and I do not discourage any readers from reading and enjoying this book or any other which I personally may rate unfavorably show less

First of all I have to check the meaning of Misdemeanors in my dictionary, and I didn't find it!!! I think to have understood the meaning in the context of the book, but, hey, my compliments to an author who has chosen to use it in her title!

All right, after I think five books I have read by G.A. Hauser, I have to admit that I like her books. Point. I don't know why, maybe cause she satisfies the romantic in me. Like in this one: Lyle is a 25 years old construction worker. He is handsome and show more nice: the first scene you read of him, I have imagined him like that hunk in the Coca Cola's ad (remember him? that lucious guy who enters in a office full of women bringing on his shoulder a big pack?). And Lyle is gay and he has an instant crush on David, the owner of the building he is working on and a big-money lawyer.

David is a 41 years old handsome nearly divorced man. Unlike Lyle, he is not the hunk type, he is more like a Richard Gere of Kurosawa's movie rather than the American Gigolo's era. And since his divorce he has had a lonely and all work life. His only joy are those days he spend with his sons. But he has a bitch as ex wife and sometime she manages to ruin also that. David is not gay, but he has no problem to admit that even him is attracted to a beautiful man like Lyle (and maybe this is the only part of the book I have found a little to fast, David sets his mind on the gay thing too fast), and when Lyle makes a move on him, he eagerly accepts the unexpected gift he is receiving. And when he has a taste of such a sweet man, he seems to be not able to go back to his old life: he wants Lyle all for him, everytime and everywhere. But now is Lyle that makes a step back: all is happening too fast and too strong, how he can give up his shitty life to live in a penthouse with a man like David, tender and caring? HOW!!! Well, Lyle, sets your mind in the right track and accepts the dreams of every women on earth! And joke apart, this is maybe one of the things why I like so much G.A. Hauser's books, the subtle (and sometime not so subtle) irony she puts in everything and the glimpses on a all-glittering world no one of us will have never the chance to see in person: money, fashion, movieland and thing like that.

In the end my comparison to Richard Gere for David is not so strange: this story is more or less like a M/M Pretty Woman, with our David in the role of the too perfect and without a life businessman and Lyle in the role of the pennyless lover who is too proud to be kept by his older and richer 'daddy'.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1602020779/?tag=elimyrevandra-20 show less

Ok, I liked the characters on the whole; I liked the storyline on the whole; I liked the seduction on the whole, but... a straight man would never be comfortable with the touchy-feelyness such as Josh, the gay character, displayed. (Or maybe I'm just acquainted with men who would be downright uncomfortable.) So that didn't seem real for me. And really? A week? That's all Tanner gets to come to terms with his feelings when most LGBTQ people have YEARS to deal with coming out? So yeah, that show more didn't seem real for me either. Or fair.

And yet it was an enjoyable read, on the whole! ;) show less