A Chequered Romance The Chequered Romance Series Book 1
LGBT Contemporary Fiction
Independently Published
October 1, 2020
180
A Chequered Romance
(The Chequered Romance Series - Book 1)
What happens when the Prime Minister of Great Britain falls in love with an African Revolutionary Leader?
After having a brief relationship during their University days at Oxford, George and Masimba go their separate ways. A decade passes. George works his way up the slippery political ladder, becoming Prime Minister at the spectacularly young age of 29. Masimba, on the other hand, returns to his homeland of Zimbabwe to forge his own political career, eventually becoming opposition leader and fighting for the freedom of his people.
Civil war ensues in Zimbabwe, and George watches from Britain as his ex-boyfriend’s life hangs in the balance. Concerned for Masimba’s safety, and harbouring a pent-up desire to meet him again, George arranges for Masimba to be granted exile in the Ethiopian Embassy in Britain. Masimba reluctantly agrees, but as he arrives in London, he realises that his feelings for George are still strong.
George’s decision to help Masimba is not popular. He has to contend with disapproval from the tabloid press, the King of England and from the President of the United States, no less. And he also faces a threat to his Premiership from political rivals who smell blood. Both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Foreign Secretary manoeuvre themselves into position to oust George as PM. To make matters worse, George’s secret love affair with the Chancellor has recently ended acrimoniously.
What George wants more than anything else is to meet up with Masimba again, and rekindle their romance. And when an opportunity arises for them to spend a weekend together at the Prime Minister’s private residence, Chequers, George seizes the moment and Masimba gladly accepts his invitation.
Against all odds, will romance succeed at Chequers?
Reviewed by Cristofer Garton
Member of The Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
A CHEQUERED ROMANCE is the first book in Lawson Brook’s contemporary, LGBTQ “Chequered Romance” series. The story follows the complicated and often messy love lives of British Prime Minister George Morgan and African freedom-fighter MasimbaDewele, told through the perspectives of not just George and Masimba themselves, but other supporting characters.The switching perspectives give the reader insight into how others view their relationship.
George Morgan and MasimbaDewele were schoolmates who meet again after many years and attempt to resume their friendship after a chance meeting (that eventually leads to a romantic relationship). Since Morgan is the Prime Minister of Britain and Dewele is a Zimbabwean opposition leader, scandal and secrets follow the two wherever they go. Mostly Morgan and Dewele spend much of the book doing what they can to conceal their relationship, and struggle to keep it from being exposed, to keep George Morgan’s political career from being ruined.
The MM aspect of the story, as well as the diverse cast of characters, really sells the book. This is a story of enduring love and doing whatever is necessary to keep that love intact. At times I thought the language seemed aggressive toward women (there is a chapter titled “Scheming Bitch”), so be mindful of that, but overall I thought the story was engaging and written well enough.