Reviewed by Valerie

 

TITLE:  The Thomas Elkin Series Collection

AUTHOR:  N.R. Walker

PUBLISHER:  Blue Heart Press

LENGTH:  406 pages

RELEASE DATE:  October 11, 2021

BLURB:

Thomas Elkin Series Collection

Book One

Generation versus generation, traditional versus contemporary, these men are about to learn a lesson in architecture and love. Can they prove that the old and new can be the perfect design?

A successful New York architect, Thomas Elkin almost has it all. Coming out as gay and ending his marriage before his fortieth birthday, he needed to start living his life. Now, four years later, with his relationship with his son back on track, and after a few short-lived romances, this esteemed traditional draftsman thinks he knows everything about architecture, about life.

Cooper Jones, twenty-two years old, is about to take the architect world by storm. Talented, professional, driven and completely infuriating, Cooper is the definition of Generation Y. Starting an internship working with Thomas, Cooper is about to knock Tom’s world off its axis.

Tom can teach Cooper about the architecture industry, but Cooper is about to teach Tom what it means to live.

Book Two

When some lines blur, others become crystal clear. Absolutely smitten, Thomas Elkin and Cooper Jones have decided they’re prepared to give a relationship a try. What they’re not prepared for is the reaction from their families, who try to force them apart. Both men are about to learn that there are lines that define us.

Sometimes the lines blur, sometimes the lines become crystal clear.

Book Three

Designing homes is easy. Finding home is something else entirely.

Thomas Elkin and Cooper Jones finally have the support of their families, and their love grows stronger every day. Now living together, they think nothing can stand in their way. But there are outside influences trying to pull them apart. Cooper encounters a man, closer to his age and with connections high up the property development chain, who wants Cooper as his own. Tom encounters discrimination and a hidden agenda from a fellow senior partner who’s trying to take him down. No matter what the world throws at them, Tom and Cooper are the real deal.

Age differences aside, Tom has finally found his sense of place. His one true center, his home.

 

REVIEW:

The Thomas Elkin Series was recently released as a collection of the three original books. I love this fantastic series – another of my favorites – and simply adore the dynamic between Thomas and Cooper. I can’t get enough of these guys; this is my third reading of the books. 

There’s something about what I consider some of N.R. Walker’s classics – like this series and the Red Dirt Heart series which I recently reviewed – that have quietly understated, almost lyrical love stories. They’re not flashy because the love and central relationship speak for themselves with copious feels. Tom and Cooper are complex characters who are perfectly suited for each other despite their twenty-two year age difference. Tom says Cooper innately sees him. 

Ms. Walker cleverly bases their bond upon the underlying tenets of architecture, as the individual book titles indicate: Elements of Retrofit – where new and old meet, complement, and enhance each other. Clarity of Lines – lines that bind and define, where some blur and others become crystal clear. Sense of Place – where the place you’re in, or person you’re with, feels like home and provides an emotional and spiritual connection. These concepts are incorporated to represent the evolving relationship from Tom and Cooper’s perspectives. 

Thomas Elkin is a highly regarded architect in New York City, known for his traditionalism and retrofit designs. Four years ago, he came out as gay to his wife, Sofia, and then eighteen-year-old son, Ryan. He had married Sofia because it was the expected thing to do – college, marriage, house, and kids – and since he was in denial about his sexuality, he went along with his parents’ and society’s conventions. Tom thought his interest in men was just a phase, but after twenty-five years of self-denial, he could no longer suppress his true self. Now at forty-four, he never expected to be attracted to Ryan’s friend, Copper Jones, who is exactly half his age. He meets Cooper once, and then even though he’s attracted to him, he can’t resist hiring Cooper as his intern because of his brilliant mind. And so begins their illicit romance. 

Tom is polished, confident, and predictable. Cooper is self-assured, sassy, inquisitive, and smug. Although young in some regards, he’s beyond his years intellectually. Together they are passionate about architecture and it’s not long before they’re passionate about each other, too.  

In Book One, the men meet, flirt, and discover their mutual attraction. They’re always professional at work, but after hours there are plenty of heated looks, blushes, and licking lips. There’s any irresistible pull between them. They decide to kiss – just once – to get it out of their systems and move on. How do you think that worked out? 

It’s because of how wholly they share a reverence for architecture that they have an inherent familiarity and understanding of each other. It’s that deep commonality that renders their age difference a non-issue, with a few minor exceptions. I appreciated reading an age gap story where the central theme was NOT the number of years between the men and their differences because of it. It’s the similarities – no, more than that, it’s their ideals and approaches to life – that bond Tom and Cooper. 

Ryan and Sofia discover the relationship and they become public. I liked that coming out as a couple was not a long, drawn out, angsty process. 

Cooper shows Tom how to live life more fully and authentically. 

 

Book Two contains Meet the Parents x 2. Also, Cooper’s maturity is showcased when Tom is grieving and needs him the most. Cooper takes charge and eases his burden. Tom struggles with his own mortality. 

“Quietly, tenderly, without any physical contact, we spoke for hours. Cooper knew I needed him on some level, like he always just knew. I loved him, this man who was half my age and twice as strong as me. I’d never loved him more.” 

 

In Book Three, Tom and Cooper continue to grow closer. Tom must contend with repercussions at his place of enjoyment, and Cooper has another man vying for his attention.  

Of course, there’s a sub plot of how those close to the couple respond to the age difference with a variety of reactions. Most importantly are Ryan and Sofia, who not only need to deal with the age gap but also the fact that Cooper is Ryan’s friend. Then there are Tom and Cooper’s parents, Cooper’s brother Max, and their friends and coworkers. For some it’s of little consideration; for others, it has the potential to destroy relationships.  

A definite highlight of the series is Cooper’s sense of humor and the amusing banter between him and Tom. Cooper is incorrigible and irrepressible, according to Tom, and its adorable. There’s a continual back and forth when Cooper acts cheeky and kids Tim about being elderly.  

“You’re such a little shit,” I mumbled.
“It’s a Gen Y thing,” he said cheerfully.
“It’s a Cooper Jones thing.” Then I added, “It’s a pain in the ass thing.”
“You love the pain in your ass thing.” 

Cooper’s relationship with Lionel, the doorman, is utterly endearing and shows not only his silly side, but his underlying kindness and thoughtfulness, as well. 

The body of each book is told in Tom’s first person POV, with the last chapter or epilogue of each from Cooper’s perspective, which offers a nice change. The overall ending is wonderful and the final epilogue – stretching four years from the end – makes it all the more complete – perfect, really. I couldn’t have improved upon it. If you’re a fan of N.R. Walker and haven’t yet read Thomas Elkin, you must treat yourself to this series collection. Personally, I’m so sad I’ve reached the end of the series. Have I mentioned how much I loved it? 

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

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