Review: Buckled in, Ready for the 2nd chorus
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 3, 2013
This book is described as a noir, think L.A. Confidential only in the record business.  the author uses lots of song lyrics or titles, adds a lot of musicians and musical terminology, all written in a smooth yet in your face way that makes it sound like you are listening to an old scat musician. the two main characters are Johnny, a young doctor running from his life in Atlanta (finally eludes to why he is running toward the end) to LA to pursue his music career and an older record label owner, Norman, who wants Johnny. Johnny is a very straight heterosexual male who doesn't want anything to do with sex with another man.  This isn't one of the stories where the two men hop right into bed with the hetero figuring out he is a closet gay. this is Johnny who has emotional issues and self medicates, who is still very straight trying to figure out how far he'll go to get his record deal. you pull for Johnny. he has a big old 10 incher and he loathes it. says there's nothing uglier. then you almost hate Norman who is the same age as Johnny's dad. Norman isn't really a nice man.  He is a big deal who is used to getting what or who he wants with little regard to the other person.  Johnny pursues Norman to get the record deal, but after one meeting, Norman is the one hooked and begins his pursual of Johnny.  There is sex.  It's isn't the loving sex between two men in love, but raw, rough brutal sex.  This book is intense, but the wordsmithing brings it back to a less than hardcore level with all the rock jargon.  I am hooked. I can't wait for the next two books