Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Catch a Tiger by the Tail

AUTHOR:  Gabbi Grey

NARRATOR:  Michael Dean

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH: 3 hours, 44 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  May 27, 2021

BLURB:

Thomas Walsh knows the number-one rule in the film industry: Don’t get involved with the talent. But resisting the urge to take the big screen to the bedroom can be hell when the lead actor on the set looks good enough to eat…one slow lick at a time.

Peter Erickson’s latest role as a gay man hits a little too close to home. He’s still in the closet and secretly grieving the death of his lover. Then an enchanting production assistant catches his eye, and he’s surprised by the instant attraction that stirs more than his wounded soul. When the two men are caught on camera in a very intimate pose, both Thomas and Peter are afraid they’ve caught a tiger by the tail.

REVIEW:

“Beautiful.” He surveyed my body, then looked back up to meet my gaze. “You’re stunning in so many ways.” He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss. “But it’s your heart that calls to me.” 

Catch a Tiger by the Tail caught my heart. This is a beautiful, gentle love story of two men so dissimilar but so perfect for each other. One is a worldly, older superstar, the other a less experienced man fourteen years his junior. They are both closeted men, both with painful pasts, and both with an abundance of caring, passion, and compassion to offer the other.

Thomas is a production assistant on the film in which A-list actor Peter Erikson is starring. Peter is initially unnerved when the movie is rewritten as a gay romance without him knowing. It shouldn’t be a problem except it will bring unwanted media scrutiny to the subject of his sexuality. But that doesn’t stop him from asking Thomas to grab a bite to eat with him after the first day of filming. Don’t mess with the talent has always been ingrained in Thomas so he keeps it casual by leading Peter to the food trucks along the sea wall in Vancouver. The evening is hyper-charged with extended eye contact and subtle flirting, and something special passing between them. But neither man knows if the other is gay.

That innocent dinner results in compromising photos that go viral overnight. They reveal tongues and licking (ice cream…what were you thinking?) But they bring into question Peter’s sexuality which has always remained a mystery. Peter sees this as an opportunity to break free from the closet and suggests to Thomas they become fake boyfriends. There’s nothing fake about their mutual attraction, though, and both men know it. There’s a strong pull toward the other that’s so much more than sexual attraction. It’s an affinity for each other – one of my favorite qualities in a romance. Their lovemaking – and make no mistake, their first time isn’t mere sex – is gentle, sensual, and passionate. Peter possesses infinite kindness toward his partner, a sexual neophyte.

To move forward, both men need to deal with their hidden grief over the death of a loved one. Peter had a secret lover for ten years whom he was never able to publicly acknowledge or proudly claim as his own. Thomas suffers from the loss of his brother more than a decade prior, a burden made exponentially worse by the guilt he unnecessarily harbors feeling he caused the death.

I have to balance how much I like the bond between these two men with my disdain for insta-love because things move fast in this book. It’s the whole point of the story – this magical connection that defies the usual, slower progression of falling in love and the milestones to follow. This is probably the fastest I’ve seen a fictitious relationship move. So, I’m left conflicted. Oh, how dearly I wish this novella was an additional 200 pages long. But again, stepping off the precipice into love is the whole inspiration here, so for once, I’m going to let myself be swept away and enjoy this fairy tale romance.

Catch a Tiger by the Tail is narrated by Michael Dean. He’s a master of voice acting and versatility, so it pains me to say this is one of the rare times I didn’t feel the audio enhanced the storytelling and overall experience. I don’t think he is well suited to these characters. While his robust delivery, unique cadence, and pronounced enunciation work well with higher energy books, they are not a good fit for the gentler tone of this story. For example, Mr. Dean’s overly emphatic delivery doesn’t accurately convey Thomas’ vulnerability and trepidation in his first sexual encounter with Peter, an experience tinged with awe, anticipation, and a touch of fear. These emotions, which were so convincing in the ebook, failed to elicit the same response from me in the audio book. Dean’s unique voice also made these characters sound too similar to characters he’s voiced previously and I couldn’t get that out of my head.

Be forewarned, while Thomas and Peter pulled heavily on my heartstrings, the insta-love aspect of the story may not be for you and my effusive praise might fall on deaf ears. If I had known of it in advance, I would’ve passed this book on by. And that would’ve been my loss, for certain. I can highly recommend the book itself, but I did not personally care for the audio version. I feel it negatively affected the warm-hearted, tender mood of the book.

RATING:

Story           

Narration 

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon

Audible