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"We should read to give our souls a chance to luxuriate."
~Henry Miller
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The Mating of Michael
2,5 starsThere are two writers who ruined [b:The Mating of Michael|22370569|The Mating of Michael (Sex in Seattle, #3)|Eli Easton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401375007s/22370569.jpg|41781960] for me:
Eli Easton herself. Because she wrote [b:Superhero|18192707|Superhero|Eli Easton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373758003s/18192707.jpg|25598041]-I'm still consider it as her best work- and [b:A Prairie Dog's Love Song|19228060|A Prairie Dog's Love Song|Eli Easton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386313335s/19228060.jpg|27108492]-maybe because it was my first of Eli and I fell terribly in love with it. The Mating of Michael has never come even close to these two books.
I can understand why so many readers like it so much. I like Eli Easton's writing and I always admire the courage of the authors for approaching such a sensitive topic - it naturally involves a certain amount of risk. And unfortunately this book didn't work for me.
I personally had a lot of issues with the plot and with the main characters:
Michael. He is so cute, so nice, so kind, so caring, so...unreal in his aspiration for humanity and philanthropy.
James. I understand the reason for the absence of self-assurance and insecurity and loneliness that he radiates. But I can't accept his suddenly pursuit to dominate.(?!)
Romance between them. Too rush, I can't buy this instalove thing. Sex scenes were not appealing for me and also very unrealistic.
At last, the surrogate's issue. No, I didn't have problem with Michael doing his job. I know that sex therapy was not just a sick fantasy of Eli Easton, but I'm sure, it doesn't exists in this form and not for these purposes that were presented in the book. I was e.g. uncomfortable with the situation with Tommy at the very beginning, and it ended how I was afraid it could. Do you really believe that all these patients of Michael can keep an emotional distance to their therapist and he could solve their problems THAT WAY?! He left a lot of broken hearts behind. Everything else is very unlikely.
There were warm and heart-wrenching moments in the book and some memorable characters, and then there is a story within the story(that was my favourite part!), and probably this kind of Disney-story about a wheelchair gay author who finds his happiness after many strokes of fate is exactly what readers need, but for me it is an eldorado for stereotypes and cliché. In spite of a very good and beautiful writing.
Read Jim Provenzano and his amazing two books.
Then you can understand WHY I couldn't like this book the same.
I thank my dear GR friend Irina for building the small intimate BR!