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Summary
Summary
Brandon Ringer has a dead man's face. His grandfather, silver-screen heartthrob James Ringer, died tragically at twenty-one, and Brandon looks exactly like him. But that's where the resemblance ends. Brandon is unknown, unemployed, and up to his ears in back taxes after inheriting his grandparents' Hollywood mansion. He refuses to sell it-it's his last connection to his grandmother-so to raise the cash he needs, he joins a celebrity look-alike escort agency.
Percy Charles is chronically ill, isolated, and lonely. His only company is his meddlesome caregiver and his collection of James Ringer memorabilia. When he finds "Jim Ringer" on Hollywood Doubles' website, he books an appointment, hoping to meet someone who shares his passion for his idol.
Brandon? Not that person.
But despite their differences, they connect, and Percy's fanboy love for James shows Brandon a side of his grandfather he never knew. Soon they want time together off the clock, but Percy is losing his battle for independence, and Brandon feels trapped in James's long shadow. Their struggle to love each other is the stuff of classic Hollywood. Too bad Brandon knows how those stories end.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Belleau (the Rear Entrance Video series) and debut author Schooler collaborate on a refreshingly clever tale of unexpected love. Brandon Ringer is the 19-year-old misfit grandson of James Ringer, who was a dashing Hollywood star in the 1950s. Brandon parlays his genetic luck into working for a celebrity-lookalike escort agency, fulfilling the fantasies of older men who want a night with "Jim." The sex part of the job is easy, but his attitude earns him low ratings; he knows nothing about his grandfather except that his parents called the old man a screwup and think Brandon will follow in his footsteps. Percy Charles, a lonely 21-year-old disabled by chronic illness, collects James Ringer memorabilia and is trying to track down the elusive Ringer grandson. When he stumbles across the celebrity-lookalike website, he arranges a meeting with Brandon. Their mutual attraction gives them both a chance to grow as individuals while getting closer to each other. Trust, secrets, self-doubt, and trauma challenge their relationship and their self-images. Belleau and Schooler handle the sensitive subjects of abuse and sex work in a thoughtful and compassionate manner. This is a wonderful, thoughtful new adult story, perfect for introspective readers concerned about what they project and what the world sees. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Now that his grandmother has died, it looks like it's back to turning tricks again to make ends meet for 19-year-old Brandon Ringer. In desperation, he capitalizes on the one thing he has going for him: he is the spitting image of his late grandfather, James Ringer, 1950s Hollywood royalty. So he takes a job at a Hollywood Doubles escort agency. Across town, 21-year-old Percy Charles is homebound by illness and an overbearing caretaker. He just so happens to be James Ringer's biggest fan. When he sees that a Ringer escort is available he can't resist hiring him. Over time, the relationship between Percy and Brandon shifts from client and escort to friends and finally to lovers and boyfriends. The development of their relationship is tender and passionate as they learn to love first one another and then themselves. Belleau (Bliss, 2014) and Schooler explore what it means to be a family and to be beholden to family secrets in a love story for fans of new adult and/or same-sex romances as well as classic film aficionados.--Lefkowitz, Ilene Copyright 2015 Booklist
