Highly, highly disappointing. I really expected a lot more out of this book with such a great plot description, and books about MMA fighters are tradiHighly, highly disappointing. I really expected a lot more out of this book with such a great plot description, and books about MMA fighters are traditionally very hot. This one was very hot, but the plot really fell short. There were just too many little things that were thrown in and then never followed up on. The whole "we're going to fight for you and the winner gets you" was a little too caveman-ish for me. I don't feel like Xavier really got a fair shot at all with this book and while Ryder is super-hot especially in Dom mode, it just felt like he didn't explain himself well. And what is with the anal with no lube!? Just didn't enjoy it...it felt very forced....more
This book, quite simply, was stunning. The author really had something to say and it comes through in her writing. I can't believe that this is the auThis book, quite simply, was stunning. The author really had something to say and it comes through in her writing. I can't believe that this is the author's first book and I can't wait to read more. This book quite potently illustrates the dangers and consequences of what can happen when a person in a marriage lets their guard down, doesn't communicate with their partner and forgets to take care of his or her needs, wants and desires. Coming from the perspective of a working mother who has been married for thirteen years, I can truly say that this book is real. The emotions are real. There is no Cinderella aspect to it. It's reality, beautiful and ugly, but it is there. And the kids are not left out of it. They are ever present, just as in life. This is truly the best novel I have ever read that gives a clear perspective of the torture, guilt and anguish that a person who is having the affair goes through. I am not saying at all that what the person who was cheated on is any less painful, but this book shows the other side of the story with all the pain and angst that goes along with it. Being in an affair is like an addiction to drugs or to alcohol...the high that comes along with it is fleeting, but no less real due to the endorphins. The immediate thing that came to my mind when I was reading this story was the movie Unfaithful with Richard Gere, Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez in it. This quote from Connie's friend Tracey while they are having coffee pretty much sums it up in a nutshell:
"Having an affair is nothing like taking a pottery class. It would start out like that, and then something would happen...someone would find out or someone would fall in love and it ends disastrously. They always end disastrously. It was a long time ago and it's the one thing in my life that I would undo if I could."
Well said, Tracey.
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Many, many thanks to the author and the publishing company for the privilege of reading and reviewing this book.
Wow. Just WOW. I don't even know what to say about this book but I am going to write the review now since I just finished it as everything is fresh inWow. Just WOW. I don't even know what to say about this book but I am going to write the review now since I just finished it as everything is fresh in my mind. In good conscience, I can't give this book any more than two stars as I did not enjoy reading it. It was one star until the end when Jeffrey looked in the mirror in the bathroom after taking a piss with the whip in his hand and saw the sadness in his eyes and realized that he and Laura were over. That's what elevated this to two stars for me. However, that being said, I am going to write a thoroughly honest and comprehensive review to make up for the fact that I found it "just ok". I am going to state for the record that I READ A LOT OF EROTICA, so I don't want anyone chalking this up to "oh, she's just not used to reading that kind of thing".
I am not going to mark any of this as spoilers since you as the reader can easily Google this book and find out that Jeffrey and Laura DID in fact break up, so it's not a secret that they did not make it. However, this is one of the most disturbing, thought-provoking and era-appropriate novels I've ever read. I say novel for two reasons; 1) Norman Mailer suggested that Michelson change it to a novel instead of memoirs (yes, I read the afterword!); and 2) I had absolutely NO FREAKING CLUE that these people were real until probably the 50% mark in the book.
First, I am going to cover the good.
At the tender age of 38 (ha), I can't even comprehend what it was like to live in a world where herpes and AIDS were unknowns and condoms were not kept in the average single person's nightstand drawer at all times. I just can't even envision it...or at least, I couldn't until this book. This book has more accurately captured the spirits and the feelings and the attitudes of the late 1970s/early 1980s more than anything I have ever read. It reminded me so much of the movie Studio 54. I admit freely that I don't know ANYTHING about coke. I was having to Google what I didn't know for almost every reference to cocaine, freebasing, anything really except pot. The whole scene with Yoko Ono and the washing machine repairman was one of the funniest I have read. I think Yoko Ono is an idiot anyway, so that just made me laugh harder. I hate to reference another movie in a review, but this book also reminded me time and time again of Leaving Las Vegas, probably because Nicolas Cage's character Ben's addiction to alcohol reminded me SO MUCH of Laura's addiction to cocaine and the constant stream of passages from Laura's recollection of her relationship with Jeffrey reminded me of the solo monologues that Elisabeth Shue (Sera) performed in the movie to discuss why she had sex for money and her relationship with Ben. I thought it was highly interesting every time that the author digressed from the book itself to discuss something that might not be familiar to the reader (e.g., Chapter 7 which covers everything and anything having to do with anal sex, sodomy and rim jobs) from a man's perspective. The book began before he met Laura, covered his entire relationship with Laura, and ended after he broke it off with Laura. It even covered where he is in his life and where she is in her life.
Now, what I did NOT like. Jeffrey, I know you are going to more than likely read this review, as well as your publisher, and I am sorry if this offends you. However, I was the first one on Good Reads to offer to review this book and I am going to be honest about it. This type of book IS my kind of thing...you had posted to another reader something to the effect of not posting something negative if it "wasn't her thing", and I am here to tell you that this IS my thing. I just didn't like this book. I know that you lived it. I know it was a defining time in your life. I give you kudos for putting it all out there, BUT I AM GOING TO BE HONEST.
1) Jeffrey, do you have any idea what a jerk you come off as with your comments about your sexual prowess? THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, man. Guess what? It wasn't hot, it wasn't sexy and it did NOTHING for me. Quote: "We come home from some sordid public display and I am steel rod insatiable for the rest of the night, shooting come every hour or three in one hole after another." I don't know if I would have felt the same way about that line if I had known you were fictional or real, but it was absolutely revolting TO ME. Laura is not a HOLE. 2) Laura irritated me throughout the whole book. "At least you can't get herpes from being whipped." That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. She was selfish, self-absorbed, and all she cared about was getting fucked by as many guys as possible, getting beaten within an inch of her life so the pain would distract her from all her issues, getting high as often and as HIGH as possible, and (quote) having as many different guys "deposit come" in her as possible. I have never heard of anything so disgusting. 3) Really? A GOLDEN SHOWER!? REVOLTING! 4) I swear to God I almost put this book on my DO NOT FINISH shelf when I had to shut it down after reading about rimming again. When I read the passage about that woman going down on you after you drilled her in the ass, I thought I was going to vomit. 5) Yeah. The name-dropping got REALLY REALLY BORING AFTER A WHILE.
I really think I need to stop before I go on repeatedly about the things that bugged me. I can't believe you got jealous when she was with a real Dom (Mr. Tall, I think?) because let me tell you, in this relationship, SHE was the Dom/Domme. NOT YOU. There is nothing wrong with that, but don't try to pretend you are something you are not. It's just pathetic.
When I first added this to my to-read shelf, it was advertised as "the real Fifty Shades of Grey". I have no idea who came up with that comparison, but Mr. Michelson, you are NOTHING LIKE CHRISTIAN GREY. PERIOD. And this book is nothing like Fifty Shades of Grey.
I thank you and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review it for you. Again, I applaud you for writing down something that was clearly so personal to you. I wish you and Andrea the best of luck, I am glad that you and Laura have reconnected again by the writing of this book, and most of all, I am so happy that both of you got off drugs and stopped practicing S&M if you could not do it with pleasure and safety. ...more
Many thanks to the author for the privilege of reviewing this book. However, after I read it, I felt like I used to feel after a one-night stand (yeahMany thanks to the author for the privilege of reviewing this book. However, after I read it, I felt like I used to feel after a one-night stand (yeah, I had a few in college). Just kind of empty. Not a bad read, but it could have been fleshed out a little bit more. For two people that swore off the opposite sex, they sure did give in quick after one night together. One thing that irritates me is when books don't say where they are. All we know about this book's setting is that he crashed off Route 22 and that it is somewhere near a big city. What big city? What kind of job was she interviewing for? I would have liked it better if they had sat down and had some conversation before just getting right to it. And the editor needs to be fired. "Diamond in the ruff"? There were a lot of grammatical errors and spelling errors throughout the book. The book has potential but as far as short stories go, I've read better ones. And what a tease...I was all excited when I thought they were going to do it against the wall, but nope...they moved it to the bed. Boo....more
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