Title: The Wishing Cup
Author: JM Gryffyn
Publisher: Dreamspinner press
Pages: 103
Characters: David Jameson, Jake Tanner
POV: 3rd person
Setting: Egypt, 1922
Sub-Genre: Historical Romance
Cover Rating: 3.5
Kisses: 4
Blurb:
Orphaned as a boy and brought up by the crusty, disapproving Edward Collins, Dr. David Jameson may not know much about love, but he makes up for it with an encyclopedic knowledge of Egyptian history and language. Too bad his job as linguist for a team excavating in the Valley of the Kings puts him right under Edward’s nose. When the discovery of a rare artifact leads to a disagreement between guardian and ward, Jeremiah McKee, the team’s American benefactor, sends no-nonsense Jake Tanner to protect his investment.
David’s disappointment at not meeting McKee fades quickly in the heat of his intense desire for Tanner, who seems to be the only member of the team to give credence to his ideas. Push comes to shove when Edward discovers the burgeoning romance between David and Jake, but not everything is as it seems. Will David and Jake find more in Egypt than sand and strife? Something that, like the pyramids at Giza, will stand the test of time?
Review:
Dr. David Jameson is a brilliant twenty-three year old graduate of the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute; well versed in several languages, including those no longer written or spoken in the modern era, David is an invaluable resource on an archeological expedition in the Valley of the Kings. Or rather, he would be if he was shown even a modicum of the respect he deserves.
Working alongside his legal guardian Edward Collins, a cold, harsh, insensitive man, David finds himself at odds with his colleagues, frequently suffering as the butt of their jokes and the object of their ridicule, all for the sake of his professional opinion of the secrets he believes to be hidden within a millennia old burial site.
Millionaire and amateur Egyptologist Jeremiah McKee is the benevolent benefactor of Edward Collins’ work. A reclusive and illusive man, Mr. McKee and Edward have never met in person in all the years they’ve been acquainted. The historical significance of this particular expedition might have brought the man out of seclusion, if not for a sudden illness. Jake Tanner, McKee’s emissary, shows up in his stead, much to Edward’s chagrin. And eventually, to David’s pleasure. But Jake is keeping a secret of his own, one that must be revealed before he and David can be together.
The Wishing Cup is JM Gryffyn’s debut novella, and is one that has most definitely placed this author on my radar. While I might have enjoyed a bit more time spent in the building and exploring of the relationship between Jake and David, the two men were individually very appealing, which made their attraction to each other entirely convincing. Theirs is a May/December romance, lending Jake’s experience and strength perfectly to David’s innocence and sadness for a life that has been absent of love since his parents’ deaths. It is Jake who gives David the confidence he needs to step out from behind Edward’s controlling and uncaring shadow and into the role of partner in his and Jake’s relationship.
Man’s thirst for knowledge and answers to the mysterious culture of the Ancient Egyptians always makes for interesting reading. Set in the year 1922, a significant year for Egyptian archaeology, The Wishing Cup gives the reader a taste of what it must have been like for Howard Carter when he discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
Reviewed By: Lisa
