Off the Record by Matthew Haldeman-Time

Title: Off the Record
Author: Matthew Haldeman-Time
Publisher: Lulu
Buy the book: Publisher

Blurb:

Jordan Jennings inherited both fame and fortune as the only son of a silver screen starlet and the grandson of two Hollywood legends.  Because of his infamous birth (and famous parentage), Jordan’s every move made the headlines, and he soon learned that the only way to keep the media out of his life was not to have a life at all. Charged with keeping his family’s secrets, as well as his own, he put aside his own desires long ago for the sake of family pride and grew up to become a hopeless hermit. With the chance of love on the horizon, will Jordan have to sacrifice his family’s reputation in order to have a life of his own?

Patrick Wright was a fearless reporter whose career was headed straight to the top. He was a man who knew what he wanted and always went after it. With money, success, and a very healthy social life, Patrick was living the dream. He had no idea that anything was missing until he met Jordan. Jordan’s polished manners, incredible looks, and honest desire were an irresistible combination that Patrick just couldn’t do without. But when his career hangs in the balance and Patrick is faced with losing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve, will his love for Jordan conquer all?

Review:

I’ve heard a lot about this author but I’m still exploring his backlist. When I picked up Off the Record, I wasn’t sure what I was going to find. Thankfully I found a delightful story with some truly inspired characters, charming dialogue, and a healthy plot. The writing is often very good and the pace zips along, drawing readers in almost immediately and setting an addictive story. Unfortunately the story and telling starts to stumble in the middle with too much erotica that doesn’t help the book at all and the writing stutters, going from smooth and clever to chunky and awkward. However the plot and book pick up again with an angst filled issue, not surprisingly since it’s foreshadowed from the very beginning. Overall a good first offering that most romance readers will enjoy.

Patrick Wright is a hungry and ambitious reporter who is always looking for the bigger, better deal. He’s tenacious and sets his sights on Hollywood royalty – the Jennings. Jordan Jennings comes from a long line of wealthy, talented actors who have managed to stay out of scandals. They have an unbelievable reputation that is untarnished and beloved by all. The identity of Jordan’s father is perhaps the longest standing mystery surrounding the family but due to its secrecy, Jordan has lived a very sheltered life. When sparks fly between Patrick and Jordan, Jordan takes a chance on the reporter but his trust may be betrayed when Patrick’s ambitions threaten to get in the way.

The story starts by introducing Jordan, his mother Jackie, and Patrick at a red carpet premiere. From there the clever, intelligent, and absolutely fabulous Jackie throws Jordan and Patrick together as often as possible until the two finally figure out they want each other. Here the dialogue and plot are often hilarious and witty as Jackie is a great character. She’s classic Hollywood with the poise and grace afforded the wealthy, confident, and talented. Her characterization is wonderful and she’s perhaps the highlight of the cast. If anything she changes abruptly from a lovingly controlling and subtly manipulating woman to leaving Jordan completely alone with only the hope that he’s happy. This shift, like others in the book, didn’t bother me since it helps the plot but was  a stutter in the characterization.

Similarly there is the character of Patrick who plays a very ambitious and suave reporter, fascinated and almost obsessed with Jordan. When the opportunity arises to actually date Jordan, Patrick is very aware he must handle things right. He’s manipulative but Jordan is smart enough to recognize the actions and actually is charmed by Patrick’s wit and actions. Patrick is a bit of a problematic characterization since he’s described at length in the beginning as being a reporter of great integrity and very much liked by the entertainment business. This is offset later in the book when ambition, greed, and hunger overshadow this supposed integrity. The ambition is hinted at and directly stated throughout the story but the great integrity is never really shown, only mentioned as the reason Jordan would take a chance on a reporter. This is slightly contrived but again, it works with the story so it shouldn’t cause many problems. Jordan is a fun character as an intelligent, gorgeous, and talented screen writer from a long and distinguished family. He’s also a virgin which throws a wrench into the proceedings but apparently once he’s found someone he’s attracted to, he jumps. Jordan is well characterized and definitely not shallow or weak, but he’s also a classic stereotype. He’s definitely likeable and has charming flaws and quirks that readers will adore so while he may not be the most complex character, his portrayal is exactly what the story calls for.

The beginning of the book is the best as the characters dance around each other with a good deal of sexual tension and entertaining conversation. Once the two get into bed, the story drags as there are numerous sex scenes back to back that just reiterate how much these two love each other, how much they want each other, and what great sex they have. Here the story comes close to a halt as the characters go on long mental diatribes about the perfection of the other person, how gorgeous the men are, what great sex, how they can’t wait to have sex again. Then Jordan and Patrick meet and talk for a few minutes about something other than sex before jumping each other and the cycle continues. This is overly indulgent even as it establishes the two falling deeply in love. I found myself skimming the sex scenes and being more interested in the brief summaries of their actions outside the bedroom until thankfully the plot picks up again.

The final problem is not hard to guess nor is it a spoiler since the action is all about the two men and how will they handle the problem. The ending is a stretch but for the majority of the book there are numerous places to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the romance as they fall in love. The writing and good characterization combine with the charm of the setting and produce a good, enjoyable romance. There is a bit of angst, a bit of tension, a lot of sex, and a deep, lasting relationship. The men emerge changed at the end of the book with a strong happy ending. The writing showed some greatness in places, especially the beginning, with humor, wit, and charm. Even through the few stumbles, this is an easy book to recommend. It’s definitely not perfect but for a light, entertaining romance, most will be pleased.