Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: The Black Key Journal
SERIES: Guarding The Gods #4
AUTHOR: Ann Lister
PUBLISHER: Rock Gods, Inc.
LENGTH: 195 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2018
BLURB:
This is Tessler’s private journal—the journal he’d used as a story outline when he penned his world famous Black Key Trilogy. The three-book set was semi-autobiographical by nature and closely followed the sexual awakening of a young Tessler as he grew into the man he’s become today. The journal entries are emotional and incredibly personal as Tessler chronicled his journey as an inexperienced innocent, to an intrigued intern, and out the other side as an able-bodied man with decidedly different tastes than those from before he first stepped through the doors of The Black Key Club.
Tessler guarded this journal and the secrets it held between the pages for years to protect himself from the possible judgment of others should the book ever be publicly exposed.
Now, he wants to share his journal with you—on his own terms—before someone tries to take that power away from him.
“The Black Key Journal” is a full-length erotic novel. It is a companion piece for “More Than My Words,” Book 3 in the Guarding The Gods Series. To better enjoy Tessler’s journal, it is strongly suggested that you read Book 3 before you read this novel. There is a considerable amount of erotic content in this story with numerous adult MM sexual situations not meant for younger readers. Readers 18+ is strongly advised.
REVIEW:
This was much more than I expected.
You met Tessler in Book 3 “More Than My Words”. He is the love interest of Mason, the personal security team member that was critically hurt in the fire in Berlin during the Black Ice and Ivory Tower concert. He had written the highly successful Black Key Trilogy under the name LJ Mechum. This is the contents of the diary that his agent, Barry Edleman, had stole and was blackmailing him with. Mason was able to retrieve the journal and Tessler wanted to share his thoughts before anyone had the opportunity to take that right away from him.
I had truly despised Barry in the third book but this story took that disgust to a whole new level! Gavin Roth was only 20 years old, and even if he felt he was in control of what was happening and was what he wanted, you can never convince me that “The Agent” wasn’t taking advantage of his naivety and youth. I know there was no emotional connection romantically but Gavin was starry eyed and willing to follow this older man’s lead. He was a virgin and wanted to experience all that was being dangled in front of him. Plus, this was the man that was going to make all his dreams of becoming a published author a reality. Barry was a sleaze and user right from the very start.
Although I know that Tessler gets his HEA with Mason in book 3, I was really invested in Lukas and Gavin together. They seemed so connected. I don’t know what was up with Lukas and would like to know what happened with him in the future. He was the one redeeming person in this story to me with Gavin. He truly cared what happened to him and had his best interest at heart.
I will warn you, I really recommend that you read “More Than My Words” first and then immediately read “The Black Key Journal”. It is available in a two book box set so that makes it really easy to do. It will make more sense even though the journal happens chronologically first. And I will also warn you, this book is crammed full of hot, steamy, wild sex at a gay sex club. It is the journey of a young man’s sexual quest and the knowledge he acquires in his sexual awakening. This is a new direction that this series has taken and I love that we get a glimpse into what made Tessler the man who he now is.
RATING: 
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