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The Object of Love
In Sharon Cullars' dazzling new novel, two unlikely lovers give in to explosive desire. But guilt and long-buried secrets could destroy their future before it begins . . . It's been five years since Lacey Burnham saw Sean Logan, and in that time her son Calvin's best friend has turned from a surly youth into a handsome, self-assured young man. Crushed with grief over Cal's sudden death, Lacey offers Sean a place to stay while he's in town-an innocent proposal that quickly becomes anything but. Lacey is stunned and confused by the yearning he ignites with a single kiss . . . Beautiful, warmhearted Lacey Burnham was a haven of comfort in Sean's troubled youth. Now, against every shred of logic she possesses, Lacey is falling hard for Sean and for a heady carnal bliss she's never experienced before. But the ghosts of the past are waiting. And sooner or later, every shadow must face the light of day . . . "Chilling and deliciously erotic by turns, an absorbing rollercoaster ride of a book" -Angela Knight on Again Sharon Cullars lives in Chicago where she works as a research analyst for a professional association. In her spare time, she reads whatever she can lay her hands on, but particularly loves works that allow her to make an emotional connection to the characters. She does not limit herself to any one genre and is a lover of mystery, romance, horror and sci-fi. She also enjoys various types of music, but generally gravitates toward soft jazz. She has written several short stories, one of which is due to be published in Masques V, an anthology of horror literature. In addition to writing, she hosts the Short Stories section of Bella Online, a comprehensive site for women. When she feels in the mood, she also dabbles in 3D art or just enjoys the wonderful attractions of the city of Chicago.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 22, 2014
Oye. OK, I'm starting to see a pattern with this author. Two books in one week will highlight anything a reader is averse to, I'm sure.
First off, let me get this one thing off my chest; misuse of a standard colloquialism. To say someone is "no shrinking violet" does NOT mean they are tall, big boned, or heavyset. TWICE now, two different books, this author has used that phrase when describing someone who isn't small. That kind of thing bugs me. So, Ms. Cullars, should you stumble across this review and give a crap, please research the term. Don't take my word for it just google.
Now! To the good. This was another GREAT concept for a book. I was really tired of storylines where the heroine was barely older than the hero, but the author attempts to sell the May/December angle making way too much out of 4-5 years like its a big deal. Oooh, no-not this book. She went ALL out. We have a 42 year old heroine and a 22 year old hero. THAT I can see as being an obstacle or something that makes a lady uncomfortable. Add to that, he's a close (but estranged) childhood friend, the added drama/intrigue of the loss of the heroine's son and his subsequent haunting of both of them. GREAT GREAT GREAT bones to this. So what went wrong?
No romance. We're to be convinced that this is a meant to be love, but all we're given is a series of hook ups in odd (and ultimately completely NOT HOT) locations under questionable circumstances. The rest of their time is spent either in denial about the haunting, running from the attraction, or with her denying wanting anything to do with this guy. Theres nothing that screams destiny about any of that. So again, this is another read from Cullars that left me wondering why I was supposed to care whether or not these two ended up together. I really didn't.
First off, let me get this one thing off my chest; misuse of a standard colloquialism. To say someone is "no shrinking violet" does NOT mean they are tall, big boned, or heavyset. TWICE now, two different books, this author has used that phrase when describing someone who isn't small. That kind of thing bugs me. So, Ms. Cullars, should you stumble across this review and give a crap, please research the term. Don't take my word for it just google.
Now! To the good. This was another GREAT concept for a book. I was really tired of storylines where the heroine was barely older than the hero, but the author attempts to sell the May/December angle making way too much out of 4-5 years like its a big deal. Oooh, no-not this book. She went ALL out. We have a 42 year old heroine and a 22 year old hero. THAT I can see as being an obstacle or something that makes a lady uncomfortable. Add to that, he's a close (but estranged) childhood friend, the added drama/intrigue of the loss of the heroine's son and his subsequent haunting of both of them. GREAT GREAT GREAT bones to this. So what went wrong?
No romance. We're to be convinced that this is a meant to be love, but all we're given is a series of hook ups in odd (and ultimately completely NOT HOT) locations under questionable circumstances. The rest of their time is spent either in denial about the haunting, running from the attraction, or with her denying wanting anything to do with this guy. Theres nothing that screams destiny about any of that. So again, this is another read from Cullars that left me wondering why I was supposed to care whether or not these two ended up together. I really didn't.
July 8, 2016
Review to Follow
September 12, 2010
I did not like, admire or enjoy any characters other than the victim, but his was a sad story.
I was initially interested in the story about a 22 year old man Sean falling in love with a 42 year old woman Lacey. She was his best friend's mother and he had loved her since he was about 10 years old. His friend Calvin dies and Sean returns to town for the funeral. Sean and Lacey become lovers.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
I did not like Lacey because each time she had sex with Sean, she pretty much told him to get out of her life, sadly he would try to leave. Events kept bringing them together. Now as a ghost, Calvin can communicate with his mother Lacey by writing notes. Calvin the ghost hates Sean and tells Lacey that Sean committed murder (which was a lie) and where the body is buried. Lacey believes her son and tells the police and Sean ends up in jail. Lacey's justification was thinking that solving the murder would set Calvin's soul free and he wouldn't be haunting her house anymore. I liked Sean, but this story boils down to Sean being victimized by almost everyone. As a boy, his father beat him. Calvin hates Sean and lies to Lacey about Sean being a murderer. Sean loves Lacey but she is cruel to him and stupidly started the process that caused him to go to jail. In jail Sean is victimized by another prisoner. Cheryl is mad at Sean for unrequited love, and lies to the police telling them Sean had motive for killing the person. There was no one to like in this book except Sean, but I was frustrated with his making poor choices as a teen. First of all there were two teenage boys being attacked by a drunk man with no weapon. I think they could easily have defended themselves without Calvin getting a gun. Calvin shot the man, then Sean helped cover up the murder and dropped out of school. At that time even Sean's mother gave him bad advice, by agreeing with the coverup of the murder, his dropping out of school and his leaving town. For those readers who might still be interested in this book, I have not given away the ending and I have not given away a few other items. I did not enjoy reading this book.
DATA:
Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: current day Oak Park, Illinois. Genre: mystery romance.
I was initially interested in the story about a 22 year old man Sean falling in love with a 42 year old woman Lacey. She was his best friend's mother and he had loved her since he was about 10 years old. His friend Calvin dies and Sean returns to town for the funeral. Sean and Lacey become lovers.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
I did not like Lacey because each time she had sex with Sean, she pretty much told him to get out of her life, sadly he would try to leave. Events kept bringing them together. Now as a ghost, Calvin can communicate with his mother Lacey by writing notes. Calvin the ghost hates Sean and tells Lacey that Sean committed murder (which was a lie) and where the body is buried. Lacey believes her son and tells the police and Sean ends up in jail. Lacey's justification was thinking that solving the murder would set Calvin's soul free and he wouldn't be haunting her house anymore. I liked Sean, but this story boils down to Sean being victimized by almost everyone. As a boy, his father beat him. Calvin hates Sean and lies to Lacey about Sean being a murderer. Sean loves Lacey but she is cruel to him and stupidly started the process that caused him to go to jail. In jail Sean is victimized by another prisoner. Cheryl is mad at Sean for unrequited love, and lies to the police telling them Sean had motive for killing the person. There was no one to like in this book except Sean, but I was frustrated with his making poor choices as a teen. First of all there were two teenage boys being attacked by a drunk man with no weapon. I think they could easily have defended themselves without Calvin getting a gun. Calvin shot the man, then Sean helped cover up the murder and dropped out of school. At that time even Sean's mother gave him bad advice, by agreeing with the coverup of the murder, his dropping out of school and his leaving town. For those readers who might still be interested in this book, I have not given away the ending and I have not given away a few other items. I did not enjoy reading this book.
DATA:
Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: four. Setting: current day Oak Park, Illinois. Genre: mystery romance.
February 9, 2021
I first read this book a number of years ago but it’s been in the back of my mind to someday read again and this was the time. Looks like at the time I rated it but didn’t review it.
At the beginning of the book, Lacey Burnham has just lost her 21 year old son. Calvin, and she is devastated. Many of his friends show up at the funeral and one of them, Sean Logan was a very close friend from childhood but something, Lacey doesn’t know what, drove them apart. Although deep in mourning, Lacey feels something different with Sean but she doesn’t want to contemplate what it is. But Sean knows. Although he has kept it completely to himself, Sean is in love with Lacey and has been for years. It’s an unrequited love of course as Lacey is his best friends mother and as such, very forbidden. Another thing of note is Sean is white and Calvin and Lacey black. I really appreciated that this wasn’t an issue or any kind of barrier in their story.
It doesn’t take long before Lacey realizes that it’s attraction she feels for Sean and she is very bothered by it. However she’s been a widow for years and she’s very sad and lonely and she gives in to the attraction between her and Sean. But then something unusual is thrown into this book and that is Calvin’s spirit is still in the house and he is livid with what he sees going on between his mother and the former best friend he now hates. This twist gave the book an added layer that one doesn’t normally expect and I quite enjoyed this plot point and it turned out to be an important part of the story.
To give too much more goes into spoiler territory so I’ll stop here. I love the older woman/younger man trope although the age difference between Lacey and Sean is greater than I normally read. While a little more than I’m used to, the age gap didn’t bother me, but it might others. One of the reasons it didn’t bother me was because it seems Sean is older than he years. He came from a very abusive home life and I think that matured him early. And while I like his a great deal, he does seem to be at a crossroads in his life and I think before he and Lacey could have any kind of future, he needs to step back and make solid plans. I do like him and Lacey together. It’s not just he’s got a case of hots for his friends mother. He really has loved her for years. And I think Sean is someone that could help heal Lacey. I think he’s good for her. But she’s also at the crossroads and it’s just not the exact right time for a long term committed relationship. But it would be interesting to revisit them a bit later.
There were a couple of things that kind of took me out of the story, one a rather small and amusing one. At one point Sean is telling Lacey about living in Vancouver British Columbia and tells her it’s so cold there his face freezes. Um, no. Vancouver is not cold and your face would never freeze because of the cold. I knew this but just for kicks I googled the weather in Vancouver. They get about 8 days of snow in the winter and what they do get isn’t much and it doesn’t stay around long.
Another one was Laceys uncle. It states in the book that he is old and getting tired of life, a lot of his friends have died and he feels it’s close to his time to go. Now if he was in his late 80’s maybe, but he’s in his mid 60’s!!!! At one point it gives his age and he’s younger than I am. And there’s no way I consider myself old. I’d say I’m in my mid 40’s if that. There’s an odd day here and there that my body tells me I’m not a young’un any longer and I can’t stay up until 2 or 3 am partying like I used to. But seriously, I’m not old. I don’t look old, I don’t act old, I don’t dress old, and I’m just not the least bit old in thought. So I was almost insulted the author considers the uncles age to be old *huge grin*
The first time around I gave this book 4 stars and I’m keeping it the same rating this time around. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, both times.
At the beginning of the book, Lacey Burnham has just lost her 21 year old son. Calvin, and she is devastated. Many of his friends show up at the funeral and one of them, Sean Logan was a very close friend from childhood but something, Lacey doesn’t know what, drove them apart. Although deep in mourning, Lacey feels something different with Sean but she doesn’t want to contemplate what it is. But Sean knows. Although he has kept it completely to himself, Sean is in love with Lacey and has been for years. It’s an unrequited love of course as Lacey is his best friends mother and as such, very forbidden. Another thing of note is Sean is white and Calvin and Lacey black. I really appreciated that this wasn’t an issue or any kind of barrier in their story.
It doesn’t take long before Lacey realizes that it’s attraction she feels for Sean and she is very bothered by it. However she’s been a widow for years and she’s very sad and lonely and she gives in to the attraction between her and Sean. But then something unusual is thrown into this book and that is Calvin’s spirit is still in the house and he is livid with what he sees going on between his mother and the former best friend he now hates. This twist gave the book an added layer that one doesn’t normally expect and I quite enjoyed this plot point and it turned out to be an important part of the story.
To give too much more goes into spoiler territory so I’ll stop here. I love the older woman/younger man trope although the age difference between Lacey and Sean is greater than I normally read. While a little more than I’m used to, the age gap didn’t bother me, but it might others. One of the reasons it didn’t bother me was because it seems Sean is older than he years. He came from a very abusive home life and I think that matured him early. And while I like his a great deal, he does seem to be at a crossroads in his life and I think before he and Lacey could have any kind of future, he needs to step back and make solid plans. I do like him and Lacey together. It’s not just he’s got a case of hots for his friends mother. He really has loved her for years. And I think Sean is someone that could help heal Lacey. I think he’s good for her. But she’s also at the crossroads and it’s just not the exact right time for a long term committed relationship. But it would be interesting to revisit them a bit later.
There were a couple of things that kind of took me out of the story, one a rather small and amusing one. At one point Sean is telling Lacey about living in Vancouver British Columbia and tells her it’s so cold there his face freezes. Um, no. Vancouver is not cold and your face would never freeze because of the cold. I knew this but just for kicks I googled the weather in Vancouver. They get about 8 days of snow in the winter and what they do get isn’t much and it doesn’t stay around long.
Another one was Laceys uncle. It states in the book that he is old and getting tired of life, a lot of his friends have died and he feels it’s close to his time to go. Now if he was in his late 80’s maybe, but he’s in his mid 60’s!!!! At one point it gives his age and he’s younger than I am. And there’s no way I consider myself old. I’d say I’m in my mid 40’s if that. There’s an odd day here and there that my body tells me I’m not a young’un any longer and I can’t stay up until 2 or 3 am partying like I used to. But seriously, I’m not old. I don’t look old, I don’t act old, I don’t dress old, and I’m just not the least bit old in thought. So I was almost insulted the author considers the uncles age to be old *huge grin*
The first time around I gave this book 4 stars and I’m keeping it the same rating this time around. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, both times.
January 9, 2015
First let me say that when I started reading this book I DID NOT LIKE IT. I bought the book because I fell in love with the author when I read "Again". I bought this book without first reading the synopsis. When I did read it I didn't think I could get into it because of my personal hang-ups about older women having sexual relations with men young enough to be their sons (and in this case the young man actually grew up with her son). So this was slow going for me initially. I kept wondering how the author was going to "make this pairing ok - for me". Well, boy oh boy oh boy DID SHE EVER MAKE THIS NOT JUST OK BUT she had me rooting for the hero and heroine somewhere around midway through the book. I fell in love with Sean and wanted him to have a happy-ever-after in view of his abusive childhood. I could relate to Lacey and fell in love with her sense of "doing the right thing": her husband dies at an early age leaving her to raise a 10 year old boy. She puts her head to the grindstone and works at a job that she doesn't like just to be able to provide his needs as well as his wants. She denied herself any meaningful relationships by concentrating on her son. And after all that she still missed the mark with some of his issues.
I read this book in one day (reading through the night till 5 am). I don't know HOW Sharon Cullars comes up with these storylines but I LOVE her style. This book had some of all the ingredients I feel make for an awesome tale. There was romance (I'm a sucker for LOVE), drama, suspense, paranormal, mystery and hot, hot heavy-duty sex! All I can say at this point is I want MORE, MORE, MORE SHARON CULLARS!!!!
I read this book in one day (reading through the night till 5 am). I don't know HOW Sharon Cullars comes up with these storylines but I LOVE her style. This book had some of all the ingredients I feel make for an awesome tale. There was romance (I'm a sucker for LOVE), drama, suspense, paranormal, mystery and hot, hot heavy-duty sex! All I can say at this point is I want MORE, MORE, MORE SHARON CULLARS!!!!
October 8, 2010
This book is EXCELLENT! Please do not let the cover throw you off. Lacey, her son Calvin, and his friend Sean, were written superbly. And Lacey's Uncle Joe? OMG! Awesome.. This one was a very deep paranormal,interracial love, spiritual read. I do not want to give away anything about this book. All I can say is it's not at all what you are thinking. And you will be pleasantly surprised once you've read it. This book is about grieving those that we love. Allowing ourselves and those that we love to move on when this is the best thing for them.
LIVING our lives to the fullest no matter what hands we have been delt. Acceptance of not only love, but of oneself. Forgiveness. True Forgiveness. This goes to the deep root of this word. How when this is not practiced, how it affects not only our mental, emotional, and physical but our spiritual bodies as well. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS READ.
LIVING our lives to the fullest no matter what hands we have been delt. Acceptance of not only love, but of oneself. Forgiveness. True Forgiveness. This goes to the deep root of this word. How when this is not practiced, how it affects not only our mental, emotional, and physical but our spiritual bodies as well. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS READ.
March 11, 2012
Though it's not rare for me to stay up into the wee hours to finish a book, it has been a long time since I did it unexpectedly. This book caught me completely off guard and blew me away. It's the story of a woman who loses her son in the first chapter (which had me bawling from page one) and becomes reunited with his childhood friend. There is a supernatural element I wasn't expecting but that became integral to the plot. I thought I had it all figured out midway through, but another minor twist popped up near the end, giving it an intriguing finish. Great story, great love story.
April 23, 2009
This was a great story. I felt sorry for both the main characters as they fell in love and her son that had died was not happy about this at all. His mother falling in love with his best friend...which came out later that he the son was in love with the best friend. However, the best friend had always been in love with his friends mother.
December 2, 2007
Its basically about a woman haunted by the ghost of her son. But It is about so much more. It deals with concepts of ageism, racism, and sexism. It takes an involved read to pick up on all the issues. I appreciate this book mostly for the thought provoking writing. The plot is good as well.
May 21, 2023
Intense
This was an interesting age gap story with a paranormal element. Sean returns home for the funeral of his former best friend, Calvin. They had a mysterious rife and Sean has always had a crush on Lacey, his friend’s mother. Calvin is determined to keep Sean and his mother…apart…even from the other side and what is the secret Calvin and Sean share? I enjoyed this story and it was nice to see a cross over from Again!
This was an interesting age gap story with a paranormal element. Sean returns home for the funeral of his former best friend, Calvin. They had a mysterious rife and Sean has always had a crush on Lacey, his friend’s mother. Calvin is determined to keep Sean and his mother…apart…even from the other side and what is the secret Calvin and Sean share? I enjoyed this story and it was nice to see a cross over from Again!
May 21, 2018
Sharon Cullars books are always different, this one has a haunting of a mother by her recently deceased son, grief, murder, and a story of a broken friendship.
There wasn’t actually that much development in the romance aspect of the book, so don’t go looking for that here. However, it was still a fascinating read.
There wasn’t actually that much development in the romance aspect of the book, so don’t go looking for that here. However, it was still a fascinating read.
May 18, 2023
La historia pasable.
La traducción penosa.
La traducción penosa.
September 8, 2007
A Romantic Supernatural Thriller
"The Object of Love" is the first novel I've read by Mrs. Sharon Cullars. This story will captivate you from beginning to end. It's a story about two unlikely lovers with a very passionate desire that takes them through some unexplainable twist and turns, that will attempt to destroy any possiblity of a future relationship. Lacey is a black, single mother whose son recently dies. Sean is a white man, young enough to be her son.~~~~~~~Despite the vast differences in their backgrounds, the story is written to show that Lacey and Sean are meant to be together, they seem to complete each other. I enjoyed Sean's character and found myself rooting for him to win Lacey over as I turned each page. A intense and memorable young man, and I just wanted him to finally have the happiness he seemed to have found in the arms of his ex-best friends mother.~~~~~~~Calvin's character, as a ghost, who couldn't move on until he found redemption, was a little scary and very intriquing. His often hostile actions and volatile personality, when he was alive as well as in death made it hard for one to feel sorry for his untimely demise. "The Object of Love" was definitely a chilling, yet quite thrilling adventure. Looking forward to reading more from Ms. Cullars.
"The Object of Love" is the first novel I've read by Mrs. Sharon Cullars. This story will captivate you from beginning to end. It's a story about two unlikely lovers with a very passionate desire that takes them through some unexplainable twist and turns, that will attempt to destroy any possiblity of a future relationship. Lacey is a black, single mother whose son recently dies. Sean is a white man, young enough to be her son.~~~~~~~Despite the vast differences in their backgrounds, the story is written to show that Lacey and Sean are meant to be together, they seem to complete each other. I enjoyed Sean's character and found myself rooting for him to win Lacey over as I turned each page. A intense and memorable young man, and I just wanted him to finally have the happiness he seemed to have found in the arms of his ex-best friends mother.~~~~~~~Calvin's character, as a ghost, who couldn't move on until he found redemption, was a little scary and very intriquing. His often hostile actions and volatile personality, when he was alive as well as in death made it hard for one to feel sorry for his untimely demise. "The Object of Love" was definitely a chilling, yet quite thrilling adventure. Looking forward to reading more from Ms. Cullars.
April 24, 2013
In Sharon Cullars' dazzling new novel, two unlikely lovers give in to explosive desire. But guilt and long-buried secrets could destroy their future before it begins. . . It's been five years since Lacey Burnham saw Sean Logan, and in that time her son Calvin's best friend has turned from a surly youth into a handsome, self-assured young man. Crushed with grief over Cal's sudden death, Lacey offers Sean a place to stay while he's in town--an innocent proposal that quickly becomes anything but. Lacey is stunned and confused by the yearning he ignites with a single kiss. . .
Beautiful, warmhearted Lacey Burnham was a haven of comfort in Sean's troubled youth. Now, against every shred of logic she possesses, Lacey is falling hard for Sean and for a heady carnal bliss she's never experienced before. But the ghosts of the past are waiting. And sooner or later, every shadow must face the light of day. . .
Beautiful, warmhearted Lacey Burnham was a haven of comfort in Sean's troubled youth. Now, against every shred of logic she possesses, Lacey is falling hard for Sean and for a heady carnal bliss she's never experienced before. But the ghosts of the past are waiting. And sooner or later, every shadow must face the light of day. . .
August 11, 2016
Not really sure how to categorize this book. Lacey is in her 40's in a job that is not very rewarding. He son Calvin is recently died tragically in a automobile collision, and at the funeral one of his best friends, Sean re-enters Lacey's life, helping her through this loss. What is behind this is a story that needs telling. Mystery, romance, a little fantasy (is a ghost a fantasy?) and dealing with loss. Satisfying read. I recommend it.
February 4, 2010
Just finished reading The Object of Love by Sharon Cullars - this book was amazing, and not at all what I had expected it would be. Caught between life and the afterlife, a son must find the redemption he needs in order to move on. All the while, his estranged best friend falls in love with his mother. Sounds tacky, but it is not. Very well done!
December 6, 2016
Lo cogí como libro erótico, pero para nada es un libro erótico... más bien es paranormal.
Como literatura romántica tiene algunas escenas subiditas de tono, pero nada del otro mundo.
Es un libro con mucha tensión. Y destacaría más el misterio que corre entre sus personajes que cualquier otra cosa.
Te tiene enganchada en todo momento. Está bastante bien.
Como literatura romántica tiene algunas escenas subiditas de tono, pero nada del otro mundo.
Es un libro con mucha tensión. Y destacaría más el misterio que corre entre sus personajes que cualquier otra cosa.
Te tiene enganchada en todo momento. Está bastante bien.
March 23, 2015
To obsessive
I didn't like the ending or the way Sean keeps running back to her like a little boy... I'm a sucker for these type of stories but this one. Phew. I almost stop reading in the middle of it, this author could have done better with the story line. My opinion.
I didn't like the ending or the way Sean keeps running back to her like a little boy... I'm a sucker for these type of stories but this one. Phew. I almost stop reading in the middle of it, this author could have done better with the story line. My opinion.
February 13, 2009
Excellent read. One of the few IR's with an older woman / younger man books worth reading.
July 16, 2010
"I really didn't know what to expect from this book, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. It was well worth the time to read and held a few surprises. It's a keeper on my shelf."
did-not-finish-skimmed-to-end
November 11, 2011Honestly, I was hoping for a good cougar story and it looks like it's just going to be too angsty to enjoy. DNF.
November 5, 2011
Not what I was expecting, and I don't mean that in a good way.
August 2, 2012
I liked it alot.
April 25, 2013
Loved this story! It was intense and had so many great twists and turns. I didn't put it down till the last page. I look forward to reading a whole lot more from Cullars.
January 30, 2015
Pretty good book!!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews