Desperate Husbands

Wonderland #1

by Adam Carpenter

Welcome to Wonderland, a quiet, picturesque village located on the Pacific Coast, just south of San Francisco. Prodigal son Rich North and his partner, Marc Anderson, have just relocated to Wonderland after leaving behind their lives-and a secret scandal-back in New York City. They buy a house on exclusive Eldon Court, where five Victorian homes stand. Three other gay couples live in the other houses, while Number Two Eldon Court remains mysteriously empty. There they meet Edgar and Jack, the longest-tenured residents of Eldon Court; Aaron and Juan, a couple with their own relationship issues; and Sawyer and Dane, a young, gorgeous couple with too much money and time on their hands. Something is afoot on Eldon Court. A peeping Tom, a possible murder attempt, a case of arson. The clues lead back to Bayside Hotel and the mysterious new owner, Danvers Converse. He is a man with perverse appetites and unstoppable ambition. He will resort to blackmail-or worse-to gain possession of Eldon Court. But why, and at what cost? The only thing the neighbors have is their solidarity. But with a spy in their midst, Eldon Court is being threatened from all sides, and Rich and Marc realize that, as they newcomers to the block, they must stop what's happening. Until newer neighbors move into Number Two-and all hell breaks loose on Eldon Court. Passionate, sexy, steamy, Adam's Carpenter's Desperate Husbands delves into the lives of men and the men they love, into a community put at risk by progress, and of the true meaning of friendship, loyalty, and love. Welcome to Wonderland, a quiet, picturesque village located on the Pacific Coast, just south of San Francisco. Prodigal son Rich North and his partner, Marc Anderson, have just relocated to Wonderland after leaving behind their lives-and a secret scandal-back in New York City. They buy a house on exclusive Eldon Court, where five Victorian homes stand. Three other gay couples live in the other houses, while Number Two Eldon Court remains mysteriously empty. There they meet Edgar and Jack, the longest-tenured residents of Eldon Court; Aaron and Juan, a couple with their own relationship issues; and Sawyer and Dane, a young, gorgeous couple with too much money and time on their hands. Something is afoot on Eldon Court. A peeping Tom, a possible murder attempt, a case of arson. The clues lead back to Bayside Hotel and the mysterious new owner, Danvers Converse. He is a man with perverse appetites and unstoppable ambition. He will resort to blackmail-or worse-to gain possession of Eldon Court. But why, and at what cost? The only thing the neighbors have is their solidarity. But with a spy in their midst, Eldon Court is being threatened from all sides, and Rich and Marc realize that, as they newcomers to the block, they must stop what's happening. Until newer neighbors move into Number Two-and all hell breaks loose on Eldon Court. Passionate, sexy, steamy, Adam's Carpenter's Desperate Husbands delves into the lives of men and the men they love, into a community put at risk by progress, and of the true meaning of friendship, loyalty, and love.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, M M Contemporary, Contemporary

170 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2009

About the author

ADAM CARPENTER is the best-selling author of many titles of gay mystery, intrigue, romance, and erotica.

His series featuring P.I. Jimmy McSwain is, in order: HIDDEN IDENTITY, CRIME WAVE, STAGE FRIGHT. GUARDIAN ANGEL, FOREVER HAUNT, FRESH KILL, SECOND SHOT, FALSE JUSTICE and JERSEY SCORE, co-written with Joseph Pittman.

Jimmy McSwain's Early Files features SILVER SHIELD, HEART BEAT, DOUBLE EDGE, and the forthcoming BURIAL PLOT.

Adam's is also the author of the soapy drama, "The Cane's Inlet Mystery" trilogy: SCANDALOUS LIES, SINISTER MOTIVES, and SUSPICIOUS TRUTHS.

He is also the author of the "Edenwood Saga" trilogy, EDEN'S PAST, EDEN'S PRESENT, and EDEN'S FUTURE, now back-in-print.

The European Flings Quartet includes the short story, PASSPORT TO A FLING, PASSION IN PARIS, RAPTURE IN ROME, LUST IN LONDON, and NUPTIALS IN NICE, all to be reissued in 2025.

Reviews

[Bubbles Hunty Honest & Direct Opinions · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked the story, would have given it a five but didn't like all of the cheating and the way the characters handled it.

Marc deserves so much better, i really hope he stands up for himself in any future story. I hate is partner in the story and hope there is a change in that relationship

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far this is the 5th book I have read from RAVENOUS ROMANCE and I am not pleased with this publishing house at all!

The books arent well edited, the format/font is horrific and def not worth the high price tags in print; if you must purchase this one and all others in e book when they have sales. They put them half off ALL the time.

This book is broken up into different parts which each emcompass another couple's POV..interesting in a way except that its just retelling the same story from a new set of eyes without really adding too much new to the general story so I was left feeling just as los on the last page as I was on the first..never really felt I moved forward.

Writing is juvenille at best, lots of sex butnot even well done sex. So annoyed. Last time I psy full price for a print book from this house.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy cow, what a wild ride. A neighborhood of gay couples, each with their own issues. This was like a gay Melrose Place. There was a lot of sex, and the descriptions were really funny at times. I had a hard time keeping the guys straight when they were together as couples, but once they started banging other people, I just about gave up keeping track.

There is some mystery surrounding the final empty house and quite a few shady characters. I must read on to find out what happens!

[MsMiz (Tina) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to create a new shelf called 'could not finish reading due to character stupidity'. I did not feel this book at all. It is well written and if I was into Falcon Crest on the gay cul-du-sac, this would have been right up my alley. The cheating, lying, back stabling, it was just too much.

As I said, it is a well written story, just not one that resonated with me.

[Cherie Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It didn't completely suck, and I am not wailing and gnashing my teeth over spending that $3 bucks...not so much. I will definitely chance another read by this author, as there were things about the characters I found intriguing... and I'll even give this book another read, because honestly? I may have given it such a low rating because I was looking for books to cheer me up back when I read it, and it was full of shady dealings and bitter feelings... still, there was something that I still recall about the writing that intrigued me. I'll probably try to give it another read sometime this summer and see if the two star holds for me, or if that low rating was more a result of my mood at the time rather than a true reflection of the book's caliber.

[Kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Received free from All Romance ebooks. I started this one and it is written by different authors That was ok, some of it was the same happenings from different perspectives but not too much of that. It is about the relationships between all of these gay men who live on this cul-de-sac. But there is this mystery also happening during the story, which sort of interested me but about 3/4 of the way through I was getting a little bored. So I turned to the end to see if it was worth finishing and it ended with a cliffhanger and the mystery was not resolved. Plus there was some infidelity between the couples which is a hotspot with me. So I did not finish it.

[Susan65 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost too much for me wrap my mind around. It was like a gay soap opera...lots of love but also too much cheating. Four xouples in one small enclave with more drama and issues that never seem to end. The one thing they always find time for is sex...lots of it, even at the most impossible and improbable times. I don't know why but this book enthralled me...i could not stop reading.

This is not a story with the traditional pairing of one main couple...there are four couples whose story is entwined.

I am sure i will read the next one because the story is not settled...just like a soap...this ended knowing you gotta read the next episode.

[H.A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like the plot well enough. I couldn't stand all the cheating, even worse was the excuses given and not given. My heart broke for Mark repeatedly. Not sure if I'll read the sequel.

[Navyvet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really enjoying this story - interesting, with sexy characters and intrigue - and I would have given it 4 stars, but the ending really sucked. I hate cliff-hangers! So the ending gets 1 star, which averages out to 2.5 stars, but since I actually liked the book overall, I'm rounding up.
I'm just glad it was a free download; I would have been mad if I'd spent money on this book.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Editing could have been a little bit better, but I really did enjoy the story. I kind of liked the different POV's from all the couples in the book. It does end rather abruptly, so I am hoping there is going to be another book to close out the mystery

[Carl]

Substandard content, erratic grammar usage. Will probably not finish this one, it doesn't keep my interest long enough.
Mild love scenes, but doesn't trump my favorite m/m writer's. Not even by a mile.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the whole series. It was the gay Wisteria lane. Yes there's cheating but isn't there always in a soap opera? You have to get through the 3 books to understand the why and let the characters find their own redemption. I was glad I randomly came across it.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really hate giving a bad review for something but I just didn't like this, it definitely wasn't for me. The casual cheating is what did me in, everyone was way to nonchalant about it. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. Also some of the dialogue used was just strange.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would of been a 5 if not for the unremorseful cheating and the damn cliff-hanger.

[Zach · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't finish it.