In My Father's House: A Novel

by E. Lynn Harris

Overview

In his final book In My Father's House, New York Times mega-bestselling author E. Lynn Harris introduces Bentley Dean, owner of the hottest modeling agency in Miami's sexy South Beach.

Only the world's most beautiful models make the roster of Picture Perfect Modeling agency and they only do shoots for the most elite photographers and magazines. They are fashionista royalty--and the owners, Bentley L. Dean and his beautiful partner Alexandra, know it. But even Picture Perfect isn't immune from hard times, so when Sterling Sneed, a rich, celebrity party planner promises to pay a ludicrously high fee for some models, Bentley finds he can't refuse. Even though the job is not exactly a photo shoot, Bentley agrees to supply fifteen gorgeous models as eye candy for an "A" list party--to look good, be charming and, well, entertain the guests. They don't have to do anything they don't want to, but...

His models are pros and he figures they can handle the pressure, until one drops out and Bentley asks his protégé Jah, a beautiful kid who Bentley treats as if he were his own son, to substitute. Suddenly, the stakes are much higher, particularly when Jah falls in love with the hottest African American movie star in America. Seth Sinclair is very handsome, very famous, and very married--and his closeted gay life makes him very dangerous as well. Can Bentley's fatherly guidance save Jah from making a fatal mistake?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250824844
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/16/2021
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	637,289
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

E. Lynn Harris (1955-2009) was the author of eleven novels and the memoir What Becomes of the Brokenhearted. Ten of his novels—including Mama Dearest, Basketball Jones, and Just Too Good to be True—hit the New York Times bestseller list. Harris was known for writing about men who were black, gay and closeted, introducing many readers to little-talked-about subjects. Unable to sell his first novel, Invisible Life, he self-published and sold copies out of the trunk of his car. He was born in Flint, Michigan, and grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. He attended the University of Arkansas, where he was the first male cheerleader, and remained a dedicated Arkansas Razorbacks fan throughout his life. He divided his time between Atlanta, Georgia, and Fayetteville, Arkansas, before his death in 2009.

Hometown:

Chicago, Illinois

Date of Birth:

June 20, 1955

Date of Death:

July 23, 2009

Place of Birth:

Flint, Michigan

Place of Death:

Los Angeles, California

Education:

B.A. in journalism, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, 1977

Website:

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/elynnharris/home.html

Editorial Reviews

Before he died last year, Harris wrote this bangup first installment to a projected series about a bisexual owner of a Miami modeling agency. Bentley L. Dean III runs the Picture Perfect modeling agency in South Beach. His father, a homophobic Detroit millionaire, disowned him after he broke off an engagement and had an affair with a male TV sports reporter, and though the agency's been a success, the recession has taken a big bite out of Bentley's business. Strapped for cash, he reluctantly agrees to supply “gay, bi or very open-minded” eye candy for a VIP party hosted by Prosperity Gentleman's Club, which is run by “Emperor” Seth Sinclair, a closeted gay celebrity. When Jah, an 18-year-old student Bentley's been mentoring, covers for a no-show model and begins an affair with Seth, big trouble looms. Harris's wry tale about second chances highlights what readers have long loved about his work: his ability to depict the pursuit of love and self-respect, regardless of societal and family pressures. (June)

Publishers Weekly

E. Lynn's fans will be thrilled by this, his last book. I love his candor and honesty. He seemed to have turned a corner here. This novel speaks for all of those who can't, refuse and shouldn't have to live a lie, but still feel a need for acceptance, which is basically respect, but most of all love. I hope this story resonates with all of us.” —Terry McMillan, bestselling author of The Interruption of Everything and How Stella Got Her Groove Back

“Before he died last year, Harris wrote this bangup first installment to a projected series about a bisexual owner of a Miami modeling agency. . . . Harris's wry tale about second chances highlights what readers have long loved about his work: his ability to depict the pursuit of love and self-respect, regardless of societal and family pressures.” —Publishers Weekly

“In his new book In My Father's House, E. Lynn Harris returns to the kind of unforgettable storytelling that made him a national best selling phenomenon. His characters are alive, sassy, vibrant and lovable, even when you don't want to love them. I can't wait for you to meet Bentley . . . there is no question that the master storyteller we've come to love is BACK!” —Marva Allen, CEO Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe

“In My Father's House is Harris's eleventh novel. With his fiction and memoir, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted, Harris had taken black gay fiction out of the closet and to bestseller lists as prestigious as those of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Harris's works explore the lives and sexual situations of aspirational characters of color in deliciously decadent situations. In My Father's House, which focuses on the worlds of fashion and beauty, is no exception. . . . In My Father's House will certainly be a welcome addition to the libraries of fans that were shocked and saddened by Harris' sudden death. The novel is the fitting final chapter to an exemplary career.” —Examiner.com

“E. Lynn Harris delivers a salacious page-turner about love, lust, betrayal and murder.” —Jet

“…longtime fans of Harris can look forward to jaw-dropping shockers, plot twists and love triangles that became the beloved author's hallmark.” —Juicy magazine

From the Publisher

Before he died last year, Harris (Mommy Dearest) wrote this series debut introducing Bentley L. Dean. Disowned by his father and estranged from his Detroit family after coming out, Bentley launched an African American modeling agency in Miami that was becoming quite successful until the recession hit. Now strapped for cash, he agrees to provide hot male models to an A-list party and reluctantly sends his 18-year-old protégé, Jah, when one of the other models drops out. There Jah meets and falls in love with African American movie star (but married and closeted) Seth Sinclair. Bentley knows that keeping Seth happy will mean steady work, a cash flow, and networking opportunities for his business, but is he willing to sacrifice his integrity and Jah? VERDICT Full of romance, intrigue, and betrayal, Harris's novel will attract readers of gay fiction, African American fiction, and, of course, his many fans. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/10.]—Carol Johnson, Cleveland P.L.

Library Journal

A posthumous novel from Harris (Mama Dearest, 2009, etc.), about gay black men seeking acceptance. At the beginning, Bentley Dean III, scion to a wealthy black Detroit family, breaks off his engagement with the very suitable Kim in order to live an authentic life. And for Bentley that means out of the closet and in a public relationship with his lover Warren. Five years later Bentley is in Miami, disinherited by his homophobic father, dumped by Warren, who refuses to identify as gay, but nonetheless happy to be himself. He and his business partner Alex own an Afro-centric modeling agency (she handles the women, Bentley happily handles the men's side, which offers the occasional midday treat). But the agency has seen better times; the economy is in free-fall just as the Obama election is coming up. Financial worries force Bentley to book a suspicious modeling assignment-a request for gay-friendly eye candy for a private party. Bentley is assured he won't be inadvertently pimping out his models, but when he arrives at the all-male event, he suspects that he'll regret the night. He brings along Jah, an 18 year old that Bentley found in foster care and has mentored over the years. Jah, now in college with noble plans, catches the eye of the host, Seth Sinclair. Married with kids, Seth is a Hollywood megastar with a secret penchant for boys and control. Jah soon gets caught in Seth's dangerous web, and Bentley is wracked with guilt. Meanwhile, Warren and Bentley reconnect, though Bentley, still in love with Warren, suspects the man hasn't changed and will always live the double life. All these men can't compete with the one man Bentley wants back in his life-his father. The best of friends until he came out, Bentley misses his old man and is afraid one day it may be too late for a reconciliation. A sudsy melodrama, to be sure, but one that offers a rare glimpse into the world of gay black men and the challenges they face. First printing of 150,000

Kirkus Reviews