Tarnished Series
The Tarnished series explores various aspects of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Not all was glitz and glamor. The first book, Tarnished Gold, is about a gay man who seeks his fortune, only to find this cache as a box office draw lessened by the changing tide of acceptance that had flourished in the early days of Hollywood.
In 1915, starstruck Jack Abadie strikes out for the gilded streets of the most sinful town in the country—Hollywood. With him, he takes a secret that his country hometown would never understand.
After years of hard work and a chance invitation to a gay gentlemen's club, Jack is discovered. Soon, his talent, matinee idol good looks, and affable personality propel him to the height of stardom. But fame breeds distrust.
Meeting Wyatt Maitland turns Jack’s life upside down. He wants to be worthy of his good fortune, but old demons haunt him. Only through Wyatt's strength can Jack face that which keeps him from being the man he wants to be. Love without trust is empty.
As the 1920s roar, scandals rock the movie industry. Public tolerance of Hollywood's decadence has reached its limit. Under pressure to clean up its act, Jack’s studio issues an ultimatum. Either forsake the man he loves and remain a box office darling, or follow his heart and let his shining star fade to tarnished gold.
~*~
The series continues with Tarnished Souls: Frankie and Gent.
The Mob ran Los Angeles for many years, as they arguably do today. In 1929, Frankie Monetti goes to Tinsel Town and sets up shop, eventually taking the territory away from his mentor. For five years, Frankie lives high, all in the spotlight, until he defies an order from the Family back in New York. Thus begins the story of greed and opportunity, much like all who trod Hollywood's golden streets.
Here's the blurb:
Hollywood’s Golden Age is not all glitz and glamour. Mob boss Frankie Monetti controls the unions and the studios, which makes him and the syndicate very rich. But after five years, Frankie runs afoul of the law and those who put him in power.
Primo hit man, and Frankie's lifelong friend, Gent Vitali, goes west with orders to clean up the mess and then bring Frankie back to New York to answer for his double cross. But as the noose closes tighter around Frankie's neck, Gent questions where his loyalty truly lies. Is business just business or is freedom worth the risk?