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Trial (Appearances Trilogy #1)

by Etienne (Goodreads Author)

3.22 of 5 stars 3.22 · rating details · 37 ratings · 18 reviews

A Buckhead Tale

Appearances Trilogy: Book One

Attorney Charles Barnett thought it was all over for him and his heart. In the three years since his partner died, he hasn’t felt so much as a spark of attraction to another man. That suddenly changes when Charles is assigned a new case and meets his new client. Recent widower Philip d’Autremont has been traveling in all the same...more

ebook, 294 pages

Published February 10th 2012 by Dreamspinner Press

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Feb 18, 2012 Ingrid rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

I was on about page 115 when I stopped reading and thought what am I reading? Wasn't there a murder and a trial coming up? Where is the action, conflict, tension something! Till that moment there was insta-love, eating out. (I feel like I could start a dining review site on Atlanta), lots of sex (most of page) and oh yeah they run and swim a lot.
From that point I skimmed the pages and notices that the last 35 pages or so dealt with the trial. There were a few white rabits in high hats in there....more

13 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2012 Simsala*is getting slow* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m

1,5 stars

Not sure what to call that - mystery,love story,romance a little from everything,I guess.
This halfhearted,emotionless,dispassionate attempt of a story was literally written to death with info dump galore,overblown language in dialogue and inner musings (who talks or thinks like that,is this a lawyer thing?),unusual wording I had to look up (at least that was good for some laughs...)in an uninteresting,boring story.
No connection to the characters,no connection between the characters who...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 15, 2012 ManOhMan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Reviewed by Stacey Jo: I had to take a moment to digest this one before reviewing it. I’m just going to say right up front that I did not like this book at all. Had I not been obligated to review it, I would have been hard pressed not to fling my precious Kindle at the 30% mark and run in the other direction. This is supposed to be, or I thought it was supposed to be, a book about an attorney who is heartbroken but finds love in the man he is trying to defend; a man on trial for murder. Yah, kin...more Reviewed by Stacey Jo: I had to take a moment to digest this one before reviewing it. I’m just going to say right up front that I did not like this book at all. Had I not been obligated to review it, I would have been hard pressed not to fling my precious Kindle at the 30% mark and run in the other direction. This is supposed to be, or I thought it was supposed to be, a book about an attorney who is heartbroken but finds love in the man he is trying to defend; a man on trial for murder. Yah, kinda… maybe something like that. There were so many things about this book that I didn’t like, all of which I’ll address below:

No sex. Well, actually, Charles and Philip go at it like rabbits, so to speak. They are constantly having sex. Do we ever get a sex scene? Not once. I know there are people out there that say they like the sex “off scene” but I’m not one of them. I just don’t get the concept of a romance novel that doesn’t have one sex scene. The bigger issue with this here though is the “Insta-Love” situation. Charles and Phillip are “in love” with each other from the moment they lay eyes on each other and at their second meeting, they are going at it. And it was very felt clinical to me, like a, “Hey, I like you, I want to have sex with you” kinda deal. Now I prefer tons of angst building up to a passionate tumble, but I totally get love at first sight and the instant connection that characters can have. The thing is, if you just tell me they are in love, and just tell me they have sex, I feel nothing. There’s not angst building up to it to get emotions flowing, there’s no passionate scene for me to picture to work with. I think the “off scene” thing is a cheap shot by authors. I’m not the author, you are. It’s not up to me to “insert scenes here”. If I wanted to write/picture my own scenes, I’d have my name on my own books. I found this increasingly frustrating considering that it felt like practically every time I clicked to turn the page they were going at it.

Redundancy. Oh My Gosh! Going to a restaurant, grooming, napping, sex, running, sex, swimming, shopping. Going to a restaurant, sex, grooming, vacation, napping, sex, running, swimming, shopping. Going to a restaurant, sex, grooming, sex, napping, sex, running, vacation, swimming, shopping….

This redundancy continued for the entire first 75% of the novel. Seriously, this is ALL they did! When they were in a restaurant, you got a rundown of what was on their plate… at every meal. Every part of their daily life is described. It was as mundane and boring as a book can be. It got to the point that when they mentioned that they were going to eat, I would actually start laughing, throw my hands up and say, “We’re eating again!” I have never seen two characters eat as much as these two. It got comical.

This is about a trial? Supposedly there are things going on in the background by others regarding the preparation of the trial. Why couldn’t there be a bit more focus on the information gathering for the trial and less about what they were eating or their 20th nap of the novel? And if Charles is going to defend Philip, he does almost nothing leading up to the trial to show he’s even prepared for the trial. A bit more “Perry Mason” action would have stirred up some interest rather than drag us to another restaurant or lap around a pool, or jog, or nap, or sex scene that wasn’t really there. There is absolutely not one bit of suspense, excitement, apprehension, etc. in this story. I could have cared less if Philip got hauled off to jail. At one point, Charles goes through a trial of a pretty graphic and tasteless nature and it has nothing to do with The Trial that the book is based on. What the heck? I kept wondering if it would be tied in somehow with the main story. No.

Overall, there was no character development. How could there be when all they did was eat, sleep, jog or have sex behind closed doors? There were no heartfelt discussions or anything that allowed you to feel anything for the characters or even care for them. It was all very one dimensional. I found Charles to be quite a bit pompous and often felt like he was talking down to those around him. I also thought the way he treated his supposed best friend, Richard, was disgusting. He knew Richard was in love with him but seemed very flippant about it. I was even more ticked off when Charles basically told Richard he should sleep with someone (someone Richard didn’t seem to want to be around at the time) to get information to get Charles’s boyfriend acquitted. I found that appalling.

Frankly, if the author had lopped off the first 74% of the book and started at the actual trial, which is mildly entertaining and the only redeeming factor of the book as far as I’m concerned, it would have been an okay book. My suggestion to those of you who have a Kindle is to read the first couple of pages in order to read the murder and then go to 75% and start there. You really won’t be missing anything at all that has anything to do with The Trial. It seems from looking the book up that there are a number of fans of this author and other books by this author as well as this book in particular. I say to each his own. This book was definitely not for me. I wish the author well in future books, they just have a style not to my liking

D

http://manohmanreviews.blogspot.ca/20...(less)

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Apr 28, 2012 Pixie Mmgoodbookreviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

4 1/2 Hearts

First published at MM Good Book Reviews

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...

Etienne has done it again. Giving us a sweet story that shows us the more mundane, as well as the exciting, but always weaving a tale that gives us joy to read.

Charles is plodding through his life but not taking the time to really enjoy it since the death of his partner. When his mentor asks him to take a case his life is suddenly filled with color again in the shape of Philip, his new client. Philip needs...more 4 1/2 Hearts

First published at MM Good Book Reviews

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...

Etienne has done it again. Giving us a sweet story that shows us the more mundane, as well as the exciting, but always weaving a tale that gives us joy to read.

Charles is plodding through his life but not taking the time to really enjoy it since the death of his partner. When his mentor asks him to take a case his life is suddenly filled with color again in the shape of Philip, his new client. Philip needs Charles to help him to clear his name without having to divulge his alibi. Philip needs all the help he can get with a district attorney who is out for his blood, but will falling for his counsel make things harder?

As always with Etienne’s stories there are wonderful descriptions of the surrounding areas. full details about the legal aspects of being a gay couple and a true love story of deep and abiding love. Charles and Philip have an instant attraction which they explore to the fullest. As their relationship rapidly progresses, the case is proving difficult as the police are blocking their moves and they have to investigate it for themselves. With the help of friends and colleagues will they finally get to the truth or will the truth be harder to believe.

A well written story that brings us the characters that we have been intrigued by for many a book… Charles and Philip. for many books Etienne has teased us with glimpses of these men and given us hints about their past and now finally they are here telling us their story and what a story. Charles has stayed away from men ever since his partner Robert died. That is, until he met Philip and it was love at first sight and the feeling is mutual.

The progression of this book is the same as always. So if you are a fan of Etienne, then you know the formula he runs to and Etienne doesn’t disappoint. These guys make love but we don’t get great detail, it is more implied and it works well. Etienne’s stories always give us more in the day-to-day relationship than anything else. Yes, there’s the investigation but it isn’t the be all and end all. this author shows us the day-to-day running of their relationship and it’s good.

So I have to recommend this to those who like long-term getting established couples, mystery and investigations, gentle love and finding out more about the characters that have intrigued us in the past. P.S. I can’t wait for the next two books.(less)

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Feb 22, 2012 G G rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a marvelous story. The author describes Atlanta in loving detail, although some names have been changed because the places in question are no longer there long-time Atlanta residents will recognize some popular places in Atlanta from a few years ago.

As originally written (the story once appeared on-line,but has since been removed), the story contained a great deal of sex. In the book, we do not follow Charles and Philip into the bedroom and, for that matter, we don't need to do so, becau...more

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Mar 01, 2012 SueM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, lawyer, contemporary-romance

This novel is the start of a trilogy outlining the genesis of Phillip and Charle's relationship, two recurring characters from Etienne's Avondale series. Like the Avondale series, the reader remains very much distanced from the the two main characters as we are told about their problems, lives and relationships, with the sex content being mostly if not entirely of the behind-closed-doors type. But like the Avondale series, it's also a bit addicting in a soap-opera kind of way.

One thing about th...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Darci rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, atlanta, modern-contemporary, netgalley, lgbt, authors-stopped-reading, didn-t-finish

So incredibly boring. Why do I never remember that Etienne's books are just not for me? Plot is pretty much non-existent. I am not reading a step-by-step manual on how to change a phone number to a new address. I do not give a shit about the details of the morning, afternoon, or evening routine of the characters. I don't care what they eat at every meal. I don't care that they are so good-looking and so well-groomed and that they are so rich that they have servants. How about some substance? I c...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Perpetua rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not sure what I felt about this one! LOL I didn't feel much of any kind of emotion between any of the characters. I was not really drawn in to the story but I kinna enjoyed the telling of it anyway? I know it makes no sense but to be fair I never claimed to be sensible!!

If I were reading it again for the first time I think I would take the advice of another reviwer and just read the first few chapters and then skip to 75% because 60% is just boring day to day stuff! (mostly they ate a lot) T...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Brandi Roberts rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading Etienne's Avondale Stories, I have long wondered what the back story was for Philip and Charles. I was so happy when I found out Etienne was finally going to give his fans Charles & Philip's story, and not only that, but three books just getting us caught up timewise to where they are in the Avondale Stories.... and also a new series to boot! I am tapping my foot waiting for Tribulation, lol. It seemed like there were a wider range of emotions experienced in this book (I know f...more

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May 29, 2012 Emily (Book Jems) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: boys-love, netalley-e-galley, kindle, released, romance, awful, meh, not-my-thing, adult-fiction, contemporary, mystery, annoying-protagonists, boring, cover-love, don-t-waste-your-time, erotica, letdown, suspense, whert-the-hell, complete-mess, give-me-back-that-wasted-time, insta-love, glbt, review-on-blog, dreamspinner

As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!

Trial was a very mature gay romance novel. Not just in content, but in writing style and phrasing as well. The author uses complex words to make the story seem more mature. In my opinion, it just made the story seem condescending and unenjoyable. I don't want to read a story where I have to look up a word every other page.

Charles' perspective reads coldly and distant, as does Philip's. I felt like I was reading as a complete outsider. I couldn't connect to the char...more As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!

Trial was a very mature gay romance novel. Not just in content, but in writing style and phrasing as well. The author uses complex words to make the story seem more mature. In my opinion, it just made the story seem condescending and unenjoyable. I don't want to read a story where I have to look up a word every other page.

Charles' perspective reads coldly and distant, as does Philip's. I felt like I was reading as a complete outsider. I couldn't connect to the characters because they didn't seem to have any real emotion. It got annoying very quickly.

In the beginning, Charles is very depressed - or he says he is - and then almost overnight, he changes. The writing was so bipolar. He never seems to be one person. He has a very unsteady personality. At one point, he's distant and another moment, he's playful. It gave me a headache.

Trial also has a hardy serving of "insta-love." Just add boiling water. The main characters meet and fall immediately in love. Sorry for the spoiler, but seriously. It's horrifying. Very unexpected.

The plot progresses quickly. If insta-love isn't proof enough, during the duration of the story, Charles and Philip go on vacation together three times. It made no sense. There are some parts that make sense and others are totally unrealistic. The entire book spans over months - maybe a year. I couldn't keep up with the timeline. It's also strange that the timeline goes by so fast when they literally tell you every little thing that they do every single day. Even if they do the same thing, they repeat it. Guys, I don't need a rundown of what you, when you always do the same thing.

I skimmed most of the story. Honestly, I couldn't help it. I was getting so bored that my eyes just wandered all over the page. I got the gist of the story though even though I probably read a total of forty percent of the book.

(view spoiler)

The thing that bothered me most - more than the insta-love and the too-fast plot - was the fact that the actual trial didn't begin until seventy-five percent into the story, but the arrest is issued in the very beginning. Plus, Charles solves another case before finishing or really getting started on Philip's case. Really? The blurb and the title of this book make you think that the book is about a Trial . Overall, it's not. I don't even know what I'd name this book because it's all over the place.

I have books two and three, but I won't be picking them up.(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 Southernangel rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just finished this book. The story was good, and the concept was good, but I felt that there was something lacking. I am all for love at first sight and so on, but the whole relationship development felt flat to me. The saddest part was that the book could have been so much easier to read if the author didn't drown me in high language, trying to sound super educated. I also felt that all the characters did was eat, run, swim, nap and bone. I would have liked more time to be spend on the trail....more

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Apr 24, 2013 Kerry sullivan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-fiction, romance, thriller-suspence-mystery, read-again

This book was reviewed for Musings of a bookworm

I have liked this authors work for some time and this is classic Etienne, in the fact that no words are wasted. There is no fluff and and no flowery descriptions just straight and to the point story telling. The perspective changes form one to the other of our protagonist and we are told at the start of the chapter who the story is being told by. The title my lead you to think this is about a trail but really that is just what brings these two men...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Sasha Conte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge-of-100-books

This is a strange story, style-wise - it's slow and heavy at points, kind of like thick honey if you know what I mean. It's not very explicit, but although it took me a while to get into the author's syle of writing, I think the emotions come across rather well.

Not my style per se, but compelling nonetheless.

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 12, 2012 Stacey Jo rated it 1 of 5 stars

Review will be posted at manohmanreviews.blogspot.com

I'm sorry to say, this is one of the few books that I found to be awful. If I wasn't obligated to review it, it would have ended up on my "couldn't finish" shelf.

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Jul 20, 2012 Jason rated it 2 of 5 stars

I really wantedit to be about the trial, but it wasn't. Maybe not the author's fault, but the paragraph descriptions could have been more accurate, it made it sound like there would be more about the trial. DNF, but maybeI will one day.

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Feb 21, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful story that brings us the characters that we have met in several of Etienne's other stories. If you love this authors other work then you will love this.

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Mar 22, 2013 Jon added it

The main characters in Trial, Charles & Philip, are infectious! The novel opens with murder, then shifts quickly to an attorney/client relationship of instant attraction, even after the husband of the deceased is arrested for murder – who has just one demand: his attorney cannot know or question what his client was doing at the time of the murder.
The mystery simmers as the relationship between attorney and client blossoms. Readers familiar with Atlanta will love local references and mystery...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Penny Wilder rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dreamspinner-press, m-m-romance

Review coming soon.

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May 07, 2013 Ashlee added it · review of another edition

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Shelves: to-read-maybe-one-day

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Shelves: lovely-books

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Dec 27, 2012 David marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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