Review: Painted Faces by L. H. Cosway

Unique, sexy, unconventional with shiver inducing romance

Title: Painted Faces
Author: L. H. Cosway
Publisher: Self Published
My ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Releases: 16th December, 2012
P ainted Faces has been on my TBR for a long time when it took over Goodreads by storm. Finally I gave in and immersed my self in the engrossing and encompassing story the L. H. Cosway built.

Freda lives in Dublin, works at a charity shop and bakes cupcakes for am living. She is completely happy in her life until one day Nicholas moves into the apartment next door. Handsome, charming, and debonair, she is intrigued by him. But Nicholas has another side. He cross dresses as a girl and performs on a stage. Before Freda knows it, she is swept in Nicholas life full of high heels, glittery dresses and wigs.

Painted Faces was a beautiful love story in which love grows out of a friendship and acceptance. I think that is the most important message that can be taken from this book. The moment Nicholas literally bumps with Freda in the stairway, we know that nothing is going to be the same again. The attraction between them is instant but it simmers and intensifies before both do anything about it. The sexual tension is thick and I loved how both of them were struggling to keep away from each other but failed.

The most unique thing about this book is that Nicholas is a cross dressing guy. Hunky, muscular alpha males are a staple as romance novel heroes but not Nicholas. He likes his dresses and his trousers alike. Cosway wrote him beautifully that even if the side characters and even Freda at that start have difficulty assessing his sexuality, there is not doubt in the readers and (later Freda) that he is all male. Even in his get up as Viv, he still felt male and his sexual appeal never diminishes. Now that is what I call good writing!

This book tells the readers to accept different kinds of people in the world. Be it slightly chubby (not skinny) Freda or the cross dressing hero that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I adored the banter between Freda and Nicholas which was intense, fun and sexy. However the last bit dragged a little and felt unnecessary. Also there was a scene where a disliked character has a threesome which is criticised by the whole party of people. It felt out of character to look down on someone who had a threesome when they themselves were dating someone unusual.

My little tripe aside, I loved this book. It was fast paced, intense and sexy. The banter was a thing of beauty and the tension in the air was gave me shivers. Highly recommended for contemporary romance readers.