Thrown by Merry Farmer (The Art of Love book 1)

It isn't everyday that you are able to own a piece of art that an author created while researching a book, but my oldest and I snagged co-ownership of a hand thrown teapot and stand when Merry Farmer came up to Toronto for last year's Northern Rainbow event!  She's coming back in August 2025 (details here) and we can only hope for a treasure from one of the future books in the trilogy... but for now.. let's talk about Thrown.

From the blurb:

The art of love is falling for your enemy without ruining everything…

Ceramic artist Robbie Hawthorne is dedicated not only to his art, but to keeping the arts center and school housed at his family’s ancestral estate vibrant and flourishing. But when the family runs into financial trouble and a heartless corporation offers to buy the estate to turn it into an amusement park, Robbie has to get creative to try to stop them.

That includes working together with a man he has nothing in common with and who instantly irritates him…

Toby Tillman has fought to overcome his working-class roots and to make a name for himself in the financial world. Now he finds himself pitted against his old mentor in the quest to save the Hawthorne House Arts Center, which is run by exactly the kind of entitled nobs he’s always hated. Worse still, he finds himself constantly hot for Robbie, a man he should utterly despise.

And then comes the road trip and a stay at a hotel with only one bed…

Can two men from opposite sides of the tracks find enough common ground to rescue a family’s heritage? And can enemies end up becoming each other’s salvation?

Thrown is an enemies-to-lovers gay romance that includes one tight-knit family and one family disaster, a Renaissance faire, a reality competition, a road trip, only one bed, constantly being mistaken for boyfriends, an unlikely rescue in a moment of humiliation, a familiar scene involving a pottery wheel, and a few things that would get this blurb flagged for naughtiness if I included them in the description. Oh! And a cameo by The Brotherhood!

Heather's Review:

I'm loving the premise of this new series - a family seat turned art school, with all of the family having various specialties!  Thrown had a special interest for me because I now own a piece of the pottery Merry made while researching this book, but beyond that it was a fun read, with a little intrigue, a little enemies to lovers, opposites attract and a surprise cameo from members of The Brotherhood!  

I truly enjoyed watching Toby and Robbie circling each other and taking their respective interactions out of context.  The banter was fun and definitely gave off a rivals vibe.

This book was well paced and had good worldbuilding, not only for itself, but in giving us just enough hints about books two and three!

Thrown is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription