Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Jonty in Russia
AUTHOR: Barbara Elsborg
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 89 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 2, 2021
BLURB:
When Devan, Best Boyfriend in the Entire World, books them a trip to Russia in February, Jonty’s excitement knows no bounds. There’s packing to do, plans to be made, and places to see.
Armed with his smile and a handful of dubious Russian Phrases, Jonty is ready for the delights Vladivostok has to offer—the famous glass beach he’s dreamed about, ice skating on a frozen sea, and snow. And maybe even vodka.
But, is Vladivostok ready for Jonty Bloom?
REVIEW:
Jonty Bloom is Barbara Elsborg’s standout character from her Unfinished Business series. He is a delightful, capricious young man with an irrepressible spirit. His boyfriends, Devan, cherishes him, although he says Jonty talks too much and has the attention span of a goldfish. At present, he’s playing with his imaginary dog whom he had given a dozen monikers, Christian Grey and Princess Tippytoes among them. I found Jonty to be more juvenile than ever in this novella and I sometimes wonder how Devan abides him. But Devan is patient, devoted, and steadfast. He’s a very likable character.
Jonty and Devan set off on a vacation to Vladivostok, Russia to visit Devan’s old friend and fellow hotel owner, Matvey, and to give Jonty an opportunity to see the famous sea glass on the beach in Ussuri Bay. Jonty is an artist who uses sea glass as his medium, so this trip is dear to his heart. The beach is teeming with “endless glistening glass … the brightly flecked shoreline shining in the frosty light.” The tinkling sound of the glass crashing together in the ocean waves is magical. Jonty is brought to tears.
They make new friends, sightsee, utilize the hotel amenities, partake in sexy activities, and enjoy the food and drink. Ms. Elsborg has created a cornucopia of sights for her readers to appreciate: the town, the beach, Matvey’s elegant hotel, the architecture, and an abundance of food I’d never eat, much like Jonty. Not surprisingly, Jonty gets himself into trouble; frankly, the book wouldn’t be complete without it.
Jonty’s immaturity does grate on my nerves in the beginning of the book, but it does abate some once the men are in Russia. Overall, I found the writing to be more simplistic that the author’s past offerings, so I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I had hoped. I would still encourage you to read it if you’ve been following along with Jonty’s escapades. On the “Jonty timeline” Jonty in Russia occurs just before the epilogue in The Making of Jonty Bloom. This is during the time period when Devan is having their hotel in Northumberland, England, renovated. If you already love Jonty, you’ll enjoy this book.
RATING: 
BUY LINK: