My Books
A Test of Love
Released by Romance Unbound
Though it's been fourteen years, Ryan Kennedy has never quite gotten over Tom Shafer, the college professor he'd fallen hopelessly in love with. Along with a deepening friendship, an almost-kiss had convinced Ryan his feelings were returned by the older man. But when Tom insisted boundaries between a professor and his student not be breached, Ryan turned his back,telling himself he was better off without Tom in his life.
Fate intervenes when Ryan receives an invitation toan alumni dinner where Tom is a guest speaker. Determined to seek him out, if only to see if the flame still burns, Ryan attends the dinner. The two reconnect, rapidly moving toward something more than just friends. Their fledgling feelings are tested when hate-filled notes begin arriving, warning each man to stay away from the other. Too new to trust completely, Ryan and Tom each struggle with how to handle the situation. When the warnings turn to violence, can the relationship survive?
Reviews
Reviewed by WitchGiggles for Alternative-Read.com
I think I'm going to like this new series. Ms Thompson doesn't make this a quick fix for the past, instead making it an intense study of men having to relearn how to truly love not only other people but themselves.
Erotic Horizon review of A Test of Love
I am on a Claire Thompson rush at the moment and A TEST OF LOVE was one of the books I was jonesing for at the end of the year...This is another short read and I liked it, it was once again not about young nubile beings but men who have aged, men who are mature enough to recognize a second chance and men who are wise enough to know sometimes you have to swallow your pride to get what you want...
Reviewed by Wave for Jessewave Reviews - Rating: 4 stars
...At times I thought A Test of Love would burst at the seams because there was so much going on in such a short book...The danger and final chase were exciting, but for me the best part of the book was the characters. Both Tom and Ryan were three dimensional and their love affair worked despite all of the conflicts, stresses and strains placed on it; the fact that they had a past helped make their feelings believable...I enjoyed A Test of Love very much and would definitely recommend it.
Reviewed by Angelina for Twolipsreviews 4 lips
A Test of Love manages to combine two traditional plots - the one who got away and the lover scorned - and enough physical chemistry to keep even the picky reader (ie: me) happy. A brief cameo by another Solitary Knight sets up the upcoming third in the series. If Claire Thompson continues in the direction she's going, it promises to be a keeper.
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Excerpt
Tom strode purposefully into the bedroom. "Ryan, wake up."
"Mmmm," Ryan mumbled, not opening his eyes.
Tom sat on the side of the bed and shook his shoulder. "Wake up, there's been another note. And they smashed my watch. My ring is missing. William's ring is gone. I was out back, chopping wood. Whoever it was, they smashed my flowerpot, took the ring and left a note in its place."
Ryan sat up, his eyes now wide open. "What?"
Tom stroked his finger, which felt naked without its silver band. William's ring, the ring he wore in memory of the one man he'd ever truly loved. Was it merely lost in the grass, or did the asshole who left the note take it? God damn it, what kind of sordid intrigue had Ryan got him embroiled in?
"What haven't you told me, Ryan?" Tom demanded. "What the hell's going on? Who's threatening you and why?" He thrust the paper toward Ryan, aware even as he did so that he wasn't being fair.
Ryan read the note and dropped it as if it burned his fingers. "I don't know, I swear. I know as much as you do."
"Yeah, well, now I'm being threatened too. My personal property has been destroyed and maybe stolen. I've been ordered to stop seeing you. I don't want to do that. But I have to know what's going on."
"I told you, I don't know." Ryan dropped his head into his hands, running his fingers through his silky blond hair.
"My ring," Tom persisted, not able to let it drop. "I have to find it. It's not like tires - something easily replaced - "
"Look, I'm sorry about your ring. I'm sorry about this whole thing. I don't know what's going on. Maybe it's a sign I'm not supposed to be involved with anyone. You're probably better off doing as the note says."
"Is that what you want? You gonna turn and run, the second the going gets tough?" Tom snapped. Aware he was being unfair, Tom couldn't seem to stop himself. It was because of the ring, damn it. The ring had made it personal. William's ring, lost, possibly forever, because of Ryan's screwed up past or shady dealings.
Aware he was doing nothing to help matters, Tom found himself saying, "Whatever's going on, it's clear this doesn't have anything directly to do with me. But now, whoever did this knows where I live. Damn it, I'm a professor at a university. I can't have this kind of dark intrigue shit going on in my life."
"You're right," Ryan snapped, fury in his tone. "Whatever's going on, we can't have it staining your pristine reputation at Rutgers." Ryan jumped up from the bed and began to pull on his jeans. He grabbed his sweater, pulling it over his head. "I'll see myself out. Don't forget to close the garage after I leave. Though, since I'm the problem, you should be fine once I'm gone."
All Tom's irrational, misplaced anger toward Ryan fell away. "Wait! Don't go, Ryan. I was being an ass. I'm sorry. Please..." He followed Ryan, who had left the room and was walking quickly through the house, grabbing his coat as he went.
"Ryan, let's talk this -" The door to the garage slammed shut. A moment later Tom heard the whirring clunk of the electric garage door slowly opening, and the purr of Ryan's car engine. He sank to the kitchen table, dropping his head in his hands.