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Indigo: The Cat's Meow
Good jobs were hard to come by in 1930, even in booming Southern California, even in Hollywood. Fred Doyle was relieved when the chores his brother Charlie conned him into taking over, serving as handyman and cat sitter for their landlady's son, accidentally led to decent work with Carl Belasco, youngest and sharpest of the Production Heads at Metropolitan Pictures.
But now Fred and Carl are being drawn together by more than painting woodwork on weekends, trying to keep track of Mr. Flurry the cat, or even correcting errant movie directors. They’re realizing that a more intimate and illegal taste they share is turning them toward each other. Too bad that onlookers, including the ever-conniving Charlie, may notice the growing attraction before Fred and Carl do.
Given this tangle, a quick trip to buy decorating supplies on romantic Catalina Island is likely not the wisest of ideas…
But now Fred and Carl are being drawn together by more than painting woodwork on weekends, trying to keep track of Mr. Flurry the cat, or even correcting errant movie directors. They’re realizing that a more intimate and illegal taste they share is turning them toward each other. Too bad that onlookers, including the ever-conniving Charlie, may notice the growing attraction before Fred and Carl do.
Given this tangle, a quick trip to buy decorating supplies on romantic Catalina Island is likely not the wisest of ideas…
72 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2011
1 person is currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Lucius Parhelion
32 books22 followersLucius Parhelion writes both free and published works. His free original work is found here:
http://www.e-fic.com/sundog/original....
and his fan fiction is on Archive of Our Own here:
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Parh...
He is also listed on Goodreads as Parhelion:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
This author is very private - he does not use social media or include an "about the author" blurb on his books.
http://www.e-fic.com/sundog/original....
and his fan fiction is on Archive of Our Own here:
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Parh...
He is also listed on Goodreads as Parhelion:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
This author is very private - he does not use social media or include an "about the author" blurb on his books.
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September 1, 2023Later edit:
Finished it, still didn’t like it. The guys were as passionate and romantic as 2 plastic chairs.
One hour into this book and I’m bored. And it’s not because it’s a bad book but because I think I’m too dumb for it, I don’t understand 50% of what they’re saying. The speech is so..pretentious and convoluted.
And I also find the MCs a bit dry , Fred especially, but again, that might be because most of the time I don’t understand what they’re talking about (and OMG they talk a lot!!) Let me give an example (it’s a long one, bear with me) :
Oh, really? Seems like you're forgetting I'm an accountant, not a publicity man. I'm also Charlie's younger brother."
Carl snorted. "Although you deliver what you hint at, not just what you promise. Unlike Charlie."
"Thanks. I…" Fred stopped. He stared at Carl for a long few seconds. Then he asked, "Hint at? Let me be precise, here. You mean Hollywood-style hints? Hints at spicy evenings available to weary executives?"
"Crap." Carl jammed his cap back on. "You're smarter than Charlie is, too."
"Oh, for crying out loud."
For a moment, Carl seemed about to beat his head against the wall in front of him. Maybe it was all the wet paint that stopped him. Instead, he started talking with the urgency of a fellow who knows he's just dropped his trousers and has about two seconds before the chaos begins.
"I didn't collect. I didn't, I swear. It was a nutty idea anyhow, for nutty reasons. I thought I shouldn't be stuck being the only one playing by the rules. In my marriage, you see. Then I calmed down enough to admit most of that mess was my own fault."
"Okay…"
Carl seemed both desperately earnest and horrified he was still talking. "Sure, every executive in Hollywood can work through entire rosters. It wouldn't help me. Easy sugar wasn't what I wanted, not without--" Now Carl stopped dead.
Fred realized he was wrinkling his nose while making "cut" motions with the hand that wasn't clutching his stepladder. He quit signaling and spoke instead. "Thank Christ I know Charlie well enough to believe you were bilked. And we will not speak of this incident again."
[……] So, we're still speaking of this incident?
“No. No more Charlie, and no more half-assed sugar-daddy stories, either. But I do need to be entirely certain. You're thoroughly 'artistic', right?
“Yes." Carl squared his shoulders as he said, "Given how my marriage turned out, absolutely. No more illusions about that."
After many many rereads and from the context I gather that Carl just gave himself away as gay?? How ??
Sorry , I really thought I’ll love this one but there’s very little happening here besides the confusing bla bla bla bla.
Finished it, still didn’t like it. The guys were as passionate and romantic as 2 plastic chairs.
One hour into this book and I’m bored. And it’s not because it’s a bad book but because I think I’m too dumb for it, I don’t understand 50% of what they’re saying. The speech is so..pretentious and convoluted.
And I also find the MCs a bit dry , Fred especially, but again, that might be because most of the time I don’t understand what they’re talking about (and OMG they talk a lot!!) Let me give an example (it’s a long one, bear with me) :
Oh, really? Seems like you're forgetting I'm an accountant, not a publicity man. I'm also Charlie's younger brother."
Carl snorted. "Although you deliver what you hint at, not just what you promise. Unlike Charlie."
"Thanks. I…" Fred stopped. He stared at Carl for a long few seconds. Then he asked, "Hint at? Let me be precise, here. You mean Hollywood-style hints? Hints at spicy evenings available to weary executives?"
"Crap." Carl jammed his cap back on. "You're smarter than Charlie is, too."
"Oh, for crying out loud."
For a moment, Carl seemed about to beat his head against the wall in front of him. Maybe it was all the wet paint that stopped him. Instead, he started talking with the urgency of a fellow who knows he's just dropped his trousers and has about two seconds before the chaos begins.
"I didn't collect. I didn't, I swear. It was a nutty idea anyhow, for nutty reasons. I thought I shouldn't be stuck being the only one playing by the rules. In my marriage, you see. Then I calmed down enough to admit most of that mess was my own fault."
"Okay…"
Carl seemed both desperately earnest and horrified he was still talking. "Sure, every executive in Hollywood can work through entire rosters. It wouldn't help me. Easy sugar wasn't what I wanted, not without--" Now Carl stopped dead.
Fred realized he was wrinkling his nose while making "cut" motions with the hand that wasn't clutching his stepladder. He quit signaling and spoke instead. "Thank Christ I know Charlie well enough to believe you were bilked. And we will not speak of this incident again."
[……] So, we're still speaking of this incident?
“No. No more Charlie, and no more half-assed sugar-daddy stories, either. But I do need to be entirely certain. You're thoroughly 'artistic', right?
“Yes." Carl squared his shoulders as he said, "Given how my marriage turned out, absolutely. No more illusions about that."
After many many rereads and from the context I gather that Carl just gave himself away as gay?? How ??
Sorry , I really thought I’ll love this one but there’s very little happening here besides the confusing bla bla bla bla.
September 1, 2023
This story is available on AO3.
This story was such a delight! 1930s historicals are rare anyway and this one was amazing! I adore this author's ability to immerse me into whatever time period they're writing about and this story was no exception. Every single word, action, object, food, article of clothing etc fit the 1930 time period perfectly and I loved that! In particular, I'm blown away at how the author seamlessly incorporates historically accurate slang and speech patterns, no matter what time period they're writing about. Incredible!
I also adored the characters, including Mr. Fluffy (Carl's and then also Fred's cat). Fred is in his early 20s, he's the youngest of four siblings, he's just finished his accounting degree and he knows what he wants and how to get it when it comes to things in life. Carl is in his mid 30s, he's a rich studio exec who has always known he's gay but he followed protocol and had a 'lavender marriage'. Carl's wife divorces him and he deals with this upheaval by taking on the major project of renovating his mother's large house. Long story short, Fred is also living at the home so he first gets recruited to watch over Mr. Fluffy during renovations, then he finds out Carl doesn't know much about handywork and Fred comes from a family of construction workers so he's recruited to help with the project.
What I love was that there may be an age gap between them but both of the MCs had the same sense of humor and Fred was mature for his age, which meant they got along very well right from the start. Carl has also been struggling at the studio due to incompetent accountants and movie-people who spend money too freely so he also hires Fred to be his 'personal assistant' - which means it's Fred's job to go around and figure out where money is being spent and then to bring this information back to Carl and for them to figure out how to make adjustments. I loved how the author made Fred be very competent at the things Carl needed his help with, which put them on an even playing field. Carl supplied the authority and the money but once he gave Fred the tools he needed, Fred was off and doing his own thing, steering Carl's life the way he thought would be best. Whether it comes to deciding what reno jobs they'll do themselves, what they'll hire pros for, when he's pushing Carl to eat more or sticking his nose into other people's conversations to figure out what they think about Carl and what they're doing with his money - Fred's top priority was always taking care of Carl and not abusing his trust and I loved this dynamic between them.
The plot is interesting because it doesn't follow typical MM romance plot beats. The MCs know they're gay but due to the time period, they don't tell each other immediately. They find out eventually but due to Fred being Carl's employee and sort-of Carl's tenant, neither are comfortable with the idea of pursuing a relationship, despite liking each other. There's no angsting over it, they don't discuss it - it's just understood that it's not a good idea. But as they grow closer and things change, .
There's only a tiny bit of smut in the story and it's FTB but I didn't mind because it allowed the author to maintain the 1930s vibe throughout the story. Overall, I found this story an absolute delight and I highly recommend it for anybody who enjoys this time period.
This story was such a delight! 1930s historicals are rare anyway and this one was amazing! I adore this author's ability to immerse me into whatever time period they're writing about and this story was no exception. Every single word, action, object, food, article of clothing etc fit the 1930 time period perfectly and I loved that! In particular, I'm blown away at how the author seamlessly incorporates historically accurate slang and speech patterns, no matter what time period they're writing about. Incredible!
I also adored the characters, including Mr. Fluffy (Carl's and then also Fred's cat). Fred is in his early 20s, he's the youngest of four siblings, he's just finished his accounting degree and he knows what he wants and how to get it when it comes to things in life. Carl is in his mid 30s, he's a rich studio exec who has always known he's gay but he followed protocol and had a 'lavender marriage'. Carl's wife divorces him and he deals with this upheaval by taking on the major project of renovating his mother's large house. Long story short, Fred is also living at the home so he first gets recruited to watch over Mr. Fluffy during renovations, then he finds out Carl doesn't know much about handywork and Fred comes from a family of construction workers so he's recruited to help with the project.
What I love was that there may be an age gap between them but both of the MCs had the same sense of humor and Fred was mature for his age, which meant they got along very well right from the start. Carl has also been struggling at the studio due to incompetent accountants and movie-people who spend money too freely so he also hires Fred to be his 'personal assistant' - which means it's Fred's job to go around and figure out where money is being spent and then to bring this information back to Carl and for them to figure out how to make adjustments. I loved how the author made Fred be very competent at the things Carl needed his help with, which put them on an even playing field. Carl supplied the authority and the money but once he gave Fred the tools he needed, Fred was off and doing his own thing, steering Carl's life the way he thought would be best. Whether it comes to deciding what reno jobs they'll do themselves, what they'll hire pros for, when he's pushing Carl to eat more or sticking his nose into other people's conversations to figure out what they think about Carl and what they're doing with his money - Fred's top priority was always taking care of Carl and not abusing his trust and I loved this dynamic between them.
The plot is interesting because it doesn't follow typical MM romance plot beats. The MCs know they're gay but due to the time period, they don't tell each other immediately. They find out eventually but due to Fred being Carl's employee and sort-of Carl's tenant, neither are comfortable with the idea of pursuing a relationship, despite liking each other. There's no angsting over it, they don't discuss it - it's just understood that it's not a good idea. But as they grow closer and things change, .
There's only a tiny bit of smut in the story and it's FTB but I didn't mind because it allowed the author to maintain the 1930s vibe throughout the story. Overall, I found this story an absolute delight and I highly recommend it for anybody who enjoys this time period.
March 30, 2021
3.75 stars.
April 8, 2012
Main Characters:
Fred is a soon-to-be-CPA sleeping on his brother's couch. Seeking hourly work to avoid taking a job with the family construction company, he's pleasantly surprised to find regular work as Carl's personal assistant, something at which it quickly becomes apparent he excels. He's grounded and knows how to get done what needs to be done, but he's not above irreverence and doesn't take himself too seriously. His narration gives the story a decidedly light-hearted air and casts him as quite a likable guy.
Carl is a bit harder to get a read on, filtered through Fred's point of view. He's a powerful producer with a bad habit of keeping potential paramours--those of a lavender hue--close at hand in any way that fits. I rather liked him, though I can't pin down his character enough to determine why.
Chemistry:
So much of what is between Fred and Carl is in what is not said that it was hard to see their interest in each other at all until quite late in the story. Once it came out, it was a slow slide into acting upon that attraction, and much is still left in the spaces between; what sex there is in the end is tastefully implied, rather than splashed across the page. It's easy for me to see Fred and Carl together for the long haul, too, which never hurts.
Secondary Characters:
Although there is a decently-sized secondary cast, the one who steals the scenes is naturally Mr. Flurry. His frantic pawing under the bathroom door at bath time is downright adorable. Fred's brother, Charlie, is fun as well, especially when he rides to defend Fred's virtue, much to Fred's chagrin. Even the incidental characters are breathed with unique life that makes them a pleasant, integral part to Fred and Carl's world.
Story:
Much of the plot revolves around the work Fred and Carl are doing to Carl's mother's house while she is away. The development of their relationship, both personal and professional, falls into the cracks and comes out in relief, shown in its absence.
Writing:
The writing itself is an absolute delight, lyrical and dreamy. Things flow so beautifully from point A to point B that it's easy to get lost in it.
Overall:
You don't need to love historical romances to love this story, but it's an added bonus if you do. Excellent writing and impressively-drawn characters lend a timelessness that makes it easily accessible to anyone looking for a lovely, light romance.
Fred is a soon-to-be-CPA sleeping on his brother's couch. Seeking hourly work to avoid taking a job with the family construction company, he's pleasantly surprised to find regular work as Carl's personal assistant, something at which it quickly becomes apparent he excels. He's grounded and knows how to get done what needs to be done, but he's not above irreverence and doesn't take himself too seriously. His narration gives the story a decidedly light-hearted air and casts him as quite a likable guy.
Carl is a bit harder to get a read on, filtered through Fred's point of view. He's a powerful producer with a bad habit of keeping potential paramours--those of a lavender hue--close at hand in any way that fits. I rather liked him, though I can't pin down his character enough to determine why.
Chemistry:
So much of what is between Fred and Carl is in what is not said that it was hard to see their interest in each other at all until quite late in the story. Once it came out, it was a slow slide into acting upon that attraction, and much is still left in the spaces between; what sex there is in the end is tastefully implied, rather than splashed across the page. It's easy for me to see Fred and Carl together for the long haul, too, which never hurts.
Secondary Characters:
Although there is a decently-sized secondary cast, the one who steals the scenes is naturally Mr. Flurry. His frantic pawing under the bathroom door at bath time is downright adorable. Fred's brother, Charlie, is fun as well, especially when he rides to defend Fred's virtue, much to Fred's chagrin. Even the incidental characters are breathed with unique life that makes them a pleasant, integral part to Fred and Carl's world.
Story:
Much of the plot revolves around the work Fred and Carl are doing to Carl's mother's house while she is away. The development of their relationship, both personal and professional, falls into the cracks and comes out in relief, shown in its absence.
Writing:
The writing itself is an absolute delight, lyrical and dreamy. Things flow so beautifully from point A to point B that it's easy to get lost in it.
Overall:
You don't need to love historical romances to love this story, but it's an added bonus if you do. Excellent writing and impressively-drawn characters lend a timelessness that makes it easily accessible to anyone looking for a lovely, light romance.
March 5, 2013
I haven't found any ebooks by this author that I like quite as much as their original fiction free site. (I re-read the Hurrah for Hollywood series A LOT) But this story does have some pretty snappy dialogue.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews