A Hidden Beauty [Paperback]

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 7/10

PROS:
- The romance develops in a deliciously gradual way. Several factors contribute to this: familial/societal constraints, one character's naïveté, the other character's reluctance to spoil his lover's innocence, etc. When added together, these factors make for a tentative, slow-paced unfolding of love and desire.
- The sex scenes aren't anything out of the ordinary, but Micah's inexperience lends him both eagerness and timidity, which combine to make the scenes very sweet. And of course, it's Jefferson's understanding of Micah's shyness that lends the sex its final, heartwarming touch.
- The poetry in the book is surprisingly good, and there's not too much of it. I worried after reading the synopsis that the book would include poems written by both characters that took up pages and pages, but there are simply snatches of verse here and there.
- Two chapters contain nothing but letters exchanged between Micah and Jefferson while the two men are separated, and they are well written and serve to advance (and voice) the men's feelings for each other beautifully.

CON:
- There's a supernatural element to the story that I almost felt belonged in its own book. There are basically two stories here: the forbidden romance between mentor and student in a time when homosexuality was a serious offense, and the scary paranormal events of a small-town church haunted by a seemingly malevolent spirit. The two ARE woven together, but I didn't find that they meshed terribly well. The first half of the book is devoted to the development of Micah and Jefferson's love and the haunting is merely hinted at, whereas the second half is so focused on the paranormal element that the sex scenes seem slotted in a bit awkwardly at times.

Overall comments: I enjoyed this quite a bit; the romance is sweet and selfless, the sex scenes are passionate and detailed (once they start, which doesn't occur until well into the story), and the plot is intriguing. My only complaint is that halfway through the book, it feels as though the "romance" conflict is resolved and the "ghost" conflict begins. I think I would have understood this more had the two halves of the story been published as discrete but related novellas.

In the beginning of the nineteenth century, Micah ia a young letter student from Harvard. He is almost near to graduate and his professors want for him to be published as a poet. But Micah is from a middle class wealthy family that doesn't see a scholar career like something worthy or important for one of their sons. Luckily for Micah he is only the fourth son, and so he manages till now to escape the pression from his family and pursues his love for poetry. A love that lures him to Wroxham, a little village hours far from Boston, where he hopes to meet Jefferson Dering, a poet he listened to a lecture at Harvard, and that he hopes could give him some good advice for his writing.

When he meets Jefferson, he finds a man who lives like an hermit in a little village where no one seems to be aware of the great poet they have among them. Jefferson seems to be eager to have a kindred spirit to talk, but soon both Jefferson, with awareness, and Micah, without awareness, realize that there is a lot more than only love for poetry between them. It's also a physical love. But Micah is a very innocent and naivee boy, he has never had sexual experience before, nor with women or men, and the first reaction is to run away for this too much strong feelings.

Then they start a mail correspondence, first like two friends that talk about a common interest and little by little turning in a love correspondence. But Micah has to take some decision and there is also something of not human that binds Jefferson to Wroxham, something that has his rutes in Jefferson's family.

The story is very long and it's peaceful and quiet, it flows like a placid river. It starts slow and continues with a almost straight course. But it's very beautiful and romantic. The paranormal event is only a second line aspect, and this is for sure an historical romance. Reading it I remember some biography I have read of poets who chose to live alone far from the so-said civil society, to enjoy the nature and the simple life of the country. In this case there is also the matter of homosexuality, and Jefferson chooses a self-imposed exile to avoid the consequences of a sexual scandal in the scholar Harvard community.

Almost all the story is setting in Jefferson's cottage, and in a very small village, and both Micah than Jefferson come from wealthy family who provide for them, and so they live in comfort. But more than the historical accuracy of the setting, it's the sensuality between the two men that draws me, the poetry that becomes love stimulation, the words that become sex toys...

Beautiful cover that enlights you in one of the sexual game they play... you should read it!

The only place where Micah Yardley's interest in poetry is taken seriously is in Harvard where he is a student of letters. As a budding author, Micah sets out to the wilds of Wroxham, Massachusetts, to see if he can convince the famous poet Jefferson Dering to give him some pointers to improve his poetic compositions. However, once Micah meets Jefferson, they strike up a friendship that surpasses their love of poetry. But will Micah accept this side of their relationship or will he let his fear dictate his actions?

Ever since Jefferson Dering was run out of Boston, he has led a quiet life in the village of Wroxham. He has his poetry to pass the hours and strangely, the local resident ghost has attached himself to Jefferson, providing a strangely comforting companionship during Jefferson's bouts of insomnia. When Micah busts into Jefferson's life, he brings his passion and enthusiasm that sweeps Jefferson along, but also brings to life a part of Jefferson that he thought long buried. As their relationship grows, Jefferson can't help but let Micah know that he feels more than mere friendship - but will his past repeat itself?

Both Micah and Jefferson must struggle with their inner demons and decide if the love they feel for one another is worth the risk and sacrifice. But when Jefferson's ghost starts becoming more than an unseen presence and progresses to violence, Micah and Jefferson must decide if appeasing the ghost is worth risking their lives.

A Hidden Beauty is a timeless romance that skillfully weaves the love of poetry through its pages until it becomes almost a language of its own between the characters. Jamie Craig wrote a spectacular and lyrical tale of love between two men who must battle their socially-ingrained repellence to the feelings they incite in each other. Micah is a young, naïve, and exuberant young man who has pursued his love of poetry against his family's objections. When he unexpectedly finds a kindred soul in Jefferson, he is overjoyed, even if a little confused by his reaction to the man. Jefferson is a mature man who has been burned in the past for pursuing his desires, but he nonetheless is swept away by Micah's charm. A Hidden Beauty is not a story for the casual, laidback reader. Its prose is very complex and deep, requiring the reader's undivided attention to fully capture the characters' flavors and emotions. Also, there is a substantial build-up to the culmination of the relationship between Micah and Jefferson, which I felt was resolved rather quickly and simply, given the length of the book. A Hidden Beauty is not a light or short read, but it is well worth the time and attention for those readers who enjoy the emotional courtship aspect of romance!

Sabella
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed