Review: Love it or hate it!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 23, 2012
"People either love it or hate it". That's what I was told about this book. And that's exactly what I like to read, because if it can elicit that kind of extreme reaction, then it's bound to be interesting.Reading the author's bio, I got an insight into why this story feels so much like one of those that used to be churned out monthly in magazines of old. That was Mr. Michael's first incursion into the craft, back in the 1960's, writing short stories for romance magazines. Those kind of stories are characterized by three things: the perfect 'meet cute', insta-love with barely any conflict, and a fairy-tale HEA. Any of you Spanish-speakers who are old enough, I'm referring to Corin Tellado's stories in Vanidades magazine. Goodness gracious, what a blast from the past!This book, though based on the previously described tried and true formula, has the stamp of being something the author might have wanted to read when he was the main characters's age, a young gay man. This story is a combination of 90% raunchy, dirty, graphically detailed and exquisitely enjoyed sex; 9% cheesy (yes, I said it!) romance, and 1% educational.The sex, ahh...the sex! Some crazy fetishes were thoroughly explored. Our sense of smell is tied to the most primitive part of our brains. It's the sense we use to find our mates and bond with them. Memories evoked by smell are more emotional, and affect our appetite, stress levels, and concentration. For those who hate that aspect of this book, yeah, I get it, it IS over the top. But do remember, it IS fiction. For those who love it, I get it too, because I thought it rocked! I know there's nothing I love better than the scent of my hubby's neck when we wake up in the morning... Delicious! *sigh*The educational part comes when the MCs go through the process of coming out. There are certain lines in those scenes that should be memorized by those considering this crucial process. For example, Dar's Dad asks if Dar and Gregg have tried sex with women, before they commit to "being gay" and a long-term relationship with each other. Dar's reply is to ask his Dad if he tried men before marrying his wife. Logical, right? Dar's phone call home and what he tells his Mom, that if they have a problem with his being gay, it's THEIR problem, not his. Very true, and key to establishing that every person is a "who" and not a "what".Overall, I loved this story in all its aspects and will go on to read the others in the series.