In a post-apocalyptic world Tetsu is a free man. He has worked his way to freedom from the Iyashii Corporation super-prison after his mother sold him to buy her own freedom. Now he works as a security officer for the same company that once owned him. But, Tetsu is not just working for the very company that once owned him, no; he is working to bring the corrupt corporation to its knees. In order to do this he is using an unwitting accomplice. Messages are secretly passed from one insurgent to another using a system of codes hidden in the temporary tattoos that decorate Youran, a male geisha who’s real name is Gabriel. Watching Youran for the messages he carries has become watching Youran for his beauty and the feelings that he alone brings out in Tetsu. When an assassin comes to kill the beautiful man Tetsu makes the choice to save him from certain death, but who will save Tetsu?

This is a very short story to try and pack a lot of information into. The sheer volume of information that was set forth was at times overwhelming. I enjoyed the premise of the story and feel that with more space to expand and explore the story I would have enjoyed it more. The budding relationship between Youran/Gabe and Tetsu was hampered by my inability to connect to the characters. I wanted to, but there was just so much going on in the story that I didn’t have time to build a relationship with them. The plotting was smooth and the storyline cohesive. I was very interested in the back-story behind the rise of the corporations and how each character fit into the infrastructure of this world. I couldn’t make up my mind as to just how Youran/Gabe really felt toward Tetsu and how much was just his playing of a part. For me this was a solid 3 Angel book.

Reviewed by: Hayley