Review: Callers' Secret by Charlie Piersol

Callers' Secret by Charlie Piersol
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 240pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
When a Fantasy Muse falls in love with a human, things can get sticky.

On the surface, Ren Crystal appears to be a regular computer repair shop owner—but he isn’t. Ren is a Fantasy Muse, born to covertly pleasure the men who desire him. Although Ren immensely enjoys his purpose in life, he doesn’t feel a personal connection to his “callers” until handsome college professor Will Spencer brings his PC in for repairs.

When Will unwittingly reveals his secrets to Ren in fantasy, Ren finds himself falling in love. Because Ren is young, he doesn’t realize how hard it will be to date a human like Will, and problems quickly arise.

Though Ren is uninhibited by nature, Will struggles with his desires. His outward conservative persona conflicts with his inner life. Will could never admit to his attraction to Ren—or the wicked things he imagines doing with him—but Ren knows. Both men have secrets that could keep them apart. Together they must bear the weight of their mutual deception.

Review:
I don't even know how to describe this book into words, I just don't know. It wasn't what I expected (don't know if that’s a good or bad thing). The idea behind it was a good one, but the delivery was lumpy and over time became just too much.

Ren Crystal runs a computer repair shop, on the surface his life seems boring but in reality it’s quite freaking exciting. You see, Ren is a fantasy muse (short a Fuse) he is the object of people's fantasy and he can go into their fantasy and amp up the stimulation. When he gets called, he goes in does a little spying helps the person get off, and he also gets enjoyment out of it. When Will Spencer walks into the shop, its instant attraction for Ren but Will seems almost uncomfortable with Ren and himself. Ren is hoping Will, will give him a call and when he does it becomes hard for Ren to contain his excitement. What he never expected was how Will's fantasies would affect him, and how he wishes the man would call him in reality.

Will is suffering from a few hang ups, like hating the fact that he's gay and having to masturbate. He comes from a religious family, so he feels he must do his duty and marry a woman and have kids. Until there was Ren, who seems to be constantly on his mind and there isn't a damn thing he can do about it. It’s one thing struggling with the fact that he's gay, but quite another where his kinky fantasies are concerned.

As I said this book had great potential but there was just too much of a good thing. Will dealing with his sexuality is the only thing I really enjoyed about the story; his whole tortured vibe was written well. Ren as a fantasy muse is a cute idea but I just don't understand what the benefits are apart from the sexual part. Will it make him run faster? Be stronger? Or is just being invisible the one and only cool thing about being a Fuse. I don't believe that part was explained properly, as much fun as it sounds. One extreme scene after another threw me from the story, and I just stopped taking it seriously. It started to feel like it was trying too hard to shock.

Should You Read It? Hmmm, hard to call it, I was really disappointed in the direction the story took after such a strong start. It’s another of those books where it's about 50pgs too long, and scenes just got all WTF! Great idea, just not enough information to make a strong enough plot.

3 Pants Off