Sometimes I buy a book purely based on the cover. It doesn't happen very often but some covers just scream: 'Pick me! I'm so beautiful!'.

Still it happens often enough that it is not that unusual for me.

But to be repulsed with a cover... that happens almost never. To see it and think: 'Yeah, no.'

This was one of those covers.

To me it was so obviously meant for the female audience. Like all those covers a few years back on the books of the 'chicklit' genre. I was so glad to see those gone. So my repulsion is partly a personal taste.
But also... In our masculine society would a man buy this book? I mean kuddo's for every man who would buy this without shame. But realistically... would they? I say this because, you know the book is about two men loving each other. In my head that means that men are also the targeted audience. And this cover is not very gender neutral is it? Not in our society as it is today.

I don't know why this specific cover bugs me so much because I see the same thing in urban fantasy (I don't really care for half clothed ladies on my cover, especially when sex isn't the main attraction of the book and when the main couple is FM romance and not FF, but (heterosexual) women are the targeted audience) over and over again.

Still. It does and just like that I have no intention of reading this book.

Oh dear. I was actually quite looking forward to this. It's clear what Clary is aiming for,a humorous homage to Coward and his like. However, this ends up far more like a Carry On "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" film than a clever, wry look at society.

It's not all bad. There were moments that were amusing, but all in all this just didn't work for me.
( )

Enjoyable little romp around a cottage in England, with two main protagonists, Noel (Coward) and Richard. It was easy enough to imagine Noel’s voice and mannerisms in my head when reading his sections of the story but It took a little while to get Julian Clary’s voice out of my head when reading Richard’s sections, not helped by Julian’s name on every other page. Once I had a well known 50ish Gay (but not camp) Holywood actor in my head I was able to push Julian aside.
That being said I really did enjoy the premise of the story set over two time periods and revolving around the lives and loves of the two successful thespians and a house with a character all of it’s own. Not to mention Julian popping in now and then sending himself up as only he can. Oh and a few ghosts.

As you would expect from Julian it is full of double entendres. Although there is sexual activity it isn’t overly explicit and romance features strongly. Julian has produced a clever little ‘play’ in and around the central character (the house), this could easily translate to the stage in Noel Coward tradition. The action really heats up towards the end with a few unexpected (to this reader) twists and turns. I found it humorous and full of wit and would recommend this as a light entertaining read. I would certainly read more of his work. ( )