Author: T.J. Hamilton
ISBN: 9781743693858
RRP: $24.99
Buying Thyme is written by former police officer T.J. Hamilton, her fictional works draw on the experiences she had working the streets of Sydney; not the way her characters work those streets though. In her debut with Harlequin Mira we meet Miranda, a high class escort working for a prestigious agency out of a Sydney penthouse.
Miranda is one of Miss Stephanie’s most sought after assets and she has been taught the fine art of seduction, lessons that she learned well. Miranda has perfected her game face, learned her role and is fluent at slipping into her alter ego when she enters the penthouse. Like all the girls at the agency Miranda is not her real name, it’s her working name, and no-one at work knows her real name. Miranda remembers her real name but sometimes she wonders if she remembers the real girl.
Buying Thyme gives us an inside look at the life of a high class escort. Miranda is not comfortable with what she does; the job is exhilarating once she’s doing it but it’s not something she wants anyone knowing about her. Outside of the business the news is only known by her flamboyantly gay best friend Charlie. She has even kept the information from her family, and she shares everything with her brother.
Miranda’s profession is a good indicator of what you will find within these pages. There is a lot of steamy action and some very graphic scenes, some gratuitous but some I think were integral to the flow of the story.
For the right price Miranda can be bought by anyone, as a high class escort it’s usually not by the hour and not a price just anyone can afford. She has a few regulars and there is something about her that captures the attention of her clients, and often has them hankering for more than what’s covered in her job description.
I found Miranda to be an extremely engaging character, I wanted to get to know her and I want to find out what happened to propel her into the world of prostitution. She has never worked in the seedier brothels or worked the streets, her start came in the high class escort agency. I would love to get to know all the girls at the agency a little better, to find out their back stories and what brought them to Miss Stephanie.
Miss Stephanie is the ultimate business woman, nurturing her girls to always show their best sides and present themselves as top dollar – so she can make top dollar. She is very difficult to say no to which leaves Miranda taking jobs she otherwise wouldn’t.
Miranda has always been very good at keeping her emotions out of her working life but Buying Thyme sees the lines starting to blur, with more than one of her clients. This is where we start to see things get interesting.
Miranda is used to the men in her life paying for the privilege, and often allowing their emotions to blur the lines so Miranda has a quick wit and is always on hand with an off the cuff reminder of the way things are between them. Her first client is the American stuntman Michael, only in town for a couple of months and only making one appearance.+
Joe Tench is an interesting client, one who is shrouded in mystery for much of the novel. He is rumoured to be heavily involved in the criminal underground but nothing has ever been said to Miranda for sure. He is certainly not short of a dollar, booking her for a weekend before she takes some time off and then booking her for an entire month when she returns to work.
Tom Smythe is a new client who insists on booking Miranda for the night just before her time off. He is the heir to a mining magnate recently returned widowed and returned from overseas. He is intriguing and charismatic in a completely different way and he is only paying for company which only makes Miranda want him more.
There were times in this book that I was really disappointed in Miranda and her actions, and it had nothing to do with her profession. I can understand why she was doing what she was doing but sometimes I just wanted to shake her.
A personal tragedy sends Miranda off on a new journey of discovery that is sure to change everything, and this is where things got really interesting.
Hamilton takes us on a steamy and seedy ride fraught with danger and deception where no-one is really who they seem and she leaves us desperate to know what’s in store for Miss Miranda next.
20 of our lucky readers are going to be reading Buying Thyme as well so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below. Personally, I can not wait to hear what they think.
Buying Thyme (Harlequin MIRA) is available for purchase at Harlequin or at all good book stores nationally for RRP $24.99/ eRRP $17.99
T.J. Hamilton can be found on her Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
wow, I just started and finished this over the weekend. A quick involving read, I felt I need to keep picking it up and read more to see what was going to happen next. Mirandas alter ego storyline was well written and love,sex,lies, murder and betrayal keep it a real page turner that’s for sure. I found her character easy to follow, I love a good quick read, that keep s me so involved.Most impressed, till I got to the end and realised I now need to wait for next book to get all the answers of her best friends murder and how her life pans out.Hope Charlie and Miranda get back in touch to, such different friendships along the way.I would recommend, thanks for the opportunity to read, I need to know what happens now whilst its fresh in my mind, that’s the frustrating part, a great absorbing read
I loved this book. Not because of the hot steamy ‘scenes’ but the way it portrayed Miranda as a real person, with real problems and real conflicting emotions. It was great to see that as a profession, Miranda’s job had rules and regulations to follow (like the health checks) and at this high end of the profession, it wasnt described in the typical seedy manner that most escorts or prostitutes are.
Whilst not a profession that I would personally choose, this was written about tastefully and excitingly with a pace that kept you coming back to find out what was going to happen next. The weave of intrigue that moved through the book was exciting and stimulating.
A great read cover to cover and an good insight into one of the worlds oldest professions.
Buying Thyme By T. J. Hamilton
Thankyou for the opportunity to read a book I would never have looked at twice to buy…sometimes it is great to step out of our comfort zone. I must admit I probably blushed a bit! BUT I kept reading.
The book has a little bit of everything…
Explicit sex scenes…Miranda, a high class escort with Michael and Joe
Mystery…what happened to Sally?
Crime….Joe is really into it! Miranda and Tom will solve it.
Friendships…with the other girls especially Sally and Charlie
Relationships…with Miss Stephanie and the other girls.
Romance….with Tom
Miranda’s lifestyle is not one I know very much about at all. But even though this is fiction I am sure it is not far from the truth is some areas. I found myself questioning why she would have this lifestyle but also understanding her reasons. She did not dislike what she did, in fact she enjoyed it most of the time. I felt surprisingly unjudgemental. I like her.
It was not hard to guess that Tom who books Miranda just to talk was not really who he was portrayed to be. I think his personal trainer gave it away!
But after Michael and Joe I liked the introduction of Tom… I wanted Miranda to fall for him and I wanted to see how she dealt with these emotions.
I read this book over a very short time…I picked it up whenever I could steal a few minutes from my everyday routine…it too me into another world.
I am looking forward to #2.
I want to know what happened to Sally and why.
I want a happy ending for Miranda / Mia.
I want Joe to be defeated!
A book that leaves you wanting more is a good book!
TJ Hamilton’s Buying Thyme is a naughty book that’s easy to read. The debut novel from a former police officer-turned-writer draws on her experiences working in Sydney where she was forced to mix with underground figures. Hamilton does a great job of really humanising and creating an engaging main character named Miranda, a girl who loves wearing old INXS t-shirts and jeans by day even though at night she is a much sought after and well paid escort.
The novel begins with a lot of sexiness and secrecy, at times even sharing a few things in common with 50 Shades of Grey. The reader gets exposed to a lot of graphic and explicit sex scenes as Miranda shows how much of a hold she has over her male customers. But Miranda is also quite a vulnerable character and the tables are turned when some of her clients start pulling tricks on her.
Miranda is in a bizarre love triangle and her feelings are torn between two men. There’s the rich and powerful, Joe Tench, who becomes more attractive after he drops his domineering mask and shows Miranda his softer side. But she’s also drawn in by the allusive Tom Smythe, a mining heir who holds his cards very close to his chest.
This book really gets interesting about half way through when the suspense kicks in. Buying Thyme is actually the first book in a two-part series. There are no surprises that the ending here is rather unsatisfying because it leaves the reader hanging. Buying Thyme is ultimately a high-octane story that will draw readers in and leave them wanting to hear more stories about Miranda’s tales of sex in the city.
omg this book was so awesome to read! I couldnt put it down and read it in 2 days, I must know what happens next
I’ve just finished reading Buying Thyme and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Is it a book I’ll remember in months/years to come? No. But I am curious as to what comes next and will more than likely read the next part when it comes out.
Some of the characters for me were a little bit exaggerated, and some didn’t serve a purpose.
I liked Miranda but she did get on my nerves on more than one occasion in the book.
I didn’t mind the sex scenes but they did go on in great detail so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The ending felt a little rushed to me and I think it could’ve been improved upon.
I did like the author’s descriptions of Sydney and it’s surrounds. It painted a nice visual picture in my mind.
I must be honest and say that I probably wouldn’t recommend this book, or if I did, it would be to a certain group of my girlfriends who wouldn’t mind the context.
I was very much looking forward to reading T.J Hamilton’s Buying Thyme. The fact that the author worked as a former police officer intrigued me and I couldn’t wait to snuggle up with a cuppa on the couch and start turning the pages. I soon realised, that this was a story to be read on the beach with a cocktail and perhaps some eye candy in view! I initially likened the book to a Mills and Boons story but as I read on further, the twists and mystery of the plot slowly unfolded, engaging me further and diverting from simply being an idealistic, romantic fiction novel.
The story opens up with graphic detail of Miranda’s profession as a high class escort. Now, not one to be prude, these scenes were quite raunchy and a few times I was a taken back by the level of intimacy Hamilton goes into. However, this was Miranda’s profession and contributed to building imagery of the seedy Sydney life that she was entwined within. It became apparent immediately that Miranda was a strong, focused female character with high standards and a kind heart when required. She took her profession seriously, did what she had to do to build her reputation and consequently was one of the most booked escorts within her company. Although it was never revealed how Miranda had been lured into the profession, it seems to be a choice she had made to support herself. I was desperate to hear about her background and the alterations that would have lead her down this path but her past was kept a mystery. As main character, I grew to enjoy her story and appreciated that she didn’t let her standards or values drop and still knew who she was, regardless of her profession.
The two men Miranda develops relationship with are polar opposites. We have Joe, the underground criminal, with the tough hard exterior who takes luxury for granted and wants his females served to him in the style he is accustomed to. Miranda, at one stage feels swayed by the life that Joe dangles in front of her, promises of forever, being looked after, the secrets and all. On the other hand is Tom, who comes across as the man next door, doesn’t reveal much about himself, yet is kind, unfazed by her profession and appears to want an ongoing friendship with Miranda. Although both men want to fulfil the role as Miranda’s protector, Tom, who does not have Joe’s dangerous edge soon becomes the favourable and safe choice to provide Miranda with the sort of love and intimacy she has always craved.
The plot takes a sharp twist when one of Miranda’s colleagues and close friend’s body is found. Miranda is devastated and after some investigating, believes that Joe is somehow linked to the death. She then goes to work with Joe for a month, but remains overly cautious of him particularly when she realises that he has stolen her phone and cut off all her ties with her life outside of his mansion. She reaches out to Tom – the only person she thinks she can trust to assist her put together the pieces of her friend’s suspicious and abrupt murder.
At this point in the story I was really looking forward to the ending. Was she going to end up with Tom? Why had Joe murdered her friend? What other secrets were they all hiding? Why was Tom working undercover? Could they still fall in love? I was shocked that Hamilton had created more suspense and as reader I would have to wait until the sequel to find out the answers to all of my questions! However, I will definitely be reading the second novel. The storyline diverted away from the initial steamy action and developed into a plot that was suspenseful, intriguing, action orientated and ultimately left me wanting more.
Thank you for the read beauty and Lace.
The moment I started reading Buying Thyme I was sucked in by the story and felt a true sense of frustration everytime life came knocking and I had to put the book down. I found that while i was away from the book I was thinking about Miranda and the storyline and where it might go. I didnt expect the story to go where it did and nor did I expect it to hold a mystery for me to ponder.
I have wondered at times how someone ends up with such a job as a High Class escort or even working the streets with a pimp and I did wish that the story had taken us there and let us into Miranda’s past and how she ended up working in the industry. The fact that she hides her work from her family and friends (other then one) tells you that she either doesnt want to deal with the shock of others or she would simply be embarrassed for them to know.
When you make a living by having sex with people then how do you cope when you meet someone that you like or even fall in love with? Wouldnt sex with them be just like work but you dont get paid? Or is it just like a chef who then comes home from work and cooks for his wife?
Apart from my own personal wonderings the story left many questions unanswered but perhaps that was a very clever plan by the Author to make sure that we all want to read her next book. If thats the case then it has certainly worked for me.
A wonderful read that I delighted in during the Queensland stormy nights.
Thanks so very much Beauty and Lace for Including me on the review team for this book.
Thank you for the opportunity to read Buying Thyme.
This was not my normal genre of book, but was a very interesting read – not for the faint hearted.
This is a story about Miranda, a High Class Escort, and takes us on a journey through her working life and ‘relationships’ made. I would have liked to know more of her before story, but enjoyed the story thus far.
There was a lot of explanation on many of her clients, which then gave way to the intriguing story with mystery and suspense. It also shows us why hers can be a risky profession.
By the end of the book, know that all questions will not be answered, so we will be reading the next book to find out more.
Thank you again.
Thanks Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to review Buying Thyme by T.J. Hamilton.
The main character Miranda is a highly paid escort in Sydney, Australia. For Miranda at the Agency money is good, its legal and relatively safe place to work. Miranda is one of the sought after escorts at the Agency and the book details her time with Michael Stephenson, who is a stuntman that has fallen for Miranda’s charm and wants to have a real relationship with her. Joe Tench who is the head of a crime gang. Tom Smythe who is a handsome, rich gentlemen who wants a companion.
The book details Miranda’s struggle about whether she could have a life outside the Agency with Joe or Tom. There is a lot of graphic sex in this novel, given what Miranda’s job is, but the book some mystery, suspense and some intriguing characters so it is a fun and well written read. T.J. Hamilton is an Aussie author so the book has some Australian slang and references to Sydney throughout, which makes it easier to imagine some of the story taking place
It is the type of book you might take away to read on holidays. I will not spoil the ending but I will say there is a sequel to be released in 2016.