Gabriel Blackstone's world is divided quite clearly into castes: everyone knows their place and abides by it. As an inventor in the merchant caste, his life is predictable in its routine until the night his best friends and assistants, Caleb and Andrew, purchase the time—and body—of a companion for his birthday. As an activist in the Caste Equality movement, everything Gabriel believes in tells him to refuse the gift, but then he meets Lucio. The beautiful and alluring companion is far more than the vapid courtesan he'd expected, and he can't get the man out of his mind.
After that night, Gabriel tells himself to forget about Lucio, but a chance meeting at a ball makes it clear neither of them is willing to ignore the compelling chemistry between them. It will take all their combined trust and cunning, plus the help of a wily aristocrat and a plucky political activist, to overcome the challenges of infidelity, abuse, and social stigma that lay along their road; however, Gabriel knows it will all be worth it if at the end of the day he can call Lucio his own.
Review
The Inventor’s Companion is just great literature! Ariel Tachna presents a period piece about boundless love within and across the invisible lines of a caste system. Gabriel, an inventor, is set up on a date with a “companion”, a male escort. This venture crosses two separate castes, however, that is the nature of the companion caste. Gabriel is a member of the Caste Equality Movement and isn’t too thrilled about the hook-up. He has no intention of taking advantage on the situation, but when he meets Lucio, his companion for the evening, he is struck by the beauty and intelligence of the guy. The two develop a personal chemistry in a short meeting and can’t stop thinking about each other and, after a second meeting by chance (or fate), they determine that they want to be together. There is no guarantee that the chance to free Lucio from his caste and the societal binds that keep him there will succeed. So much happens, but will it be worth it in the end?
Intrigue, drama, passion and love abound in this novel. I want to re-read this book! Tachna brings her characters to life with her natural storytelling ability. Love and history (two of a few of my favorite things) are intertwined in a novel about two men trapped in a time where they have few choices about what they are and how they live their lives. Life imitates art? There are so many things going on here that make you want to cheer for the underdogs and fight against the wrong that is done to them! I found myself lost within the pages, transported back in time to stand beside these guys as an ally.
