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+ One
In + One, Brian Baleno has rendered in vivid contours and colors the age-old human struggle between love and work, a conflict made all the more acute when one happens to love one’s work, as well as one’s romantic partner. Jake, our protagonist, finds himself wedged into an impossible predicament, and what endures most within the reader—besides the sheer, smooth skill of the language—is this man’s valiant attempt to navigate between the Scylla and Charybdis of his existence. This novel will stand as an emblem for all those whose life course takes them down the road less traveled, a road not meant only for couples.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2012
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 3, 2012
Sometimes choices in life are not simple. You may love someone but if their direction doesn’t match, that relationship is doomed for failure. Inevitably, someone is going to end up hurt.
Such is the modern love affair of Jake and Kara. Together, they match, completely and hopelessly in love. Unfortunately, they want completely different things. Kara wants to settle down and have a family. Jake’s career requires that he’s always on the move. Doomed from the start.
+One follows Jake as he tries to make the relationship work and then after as he questions his decision. It’s a heart filled love story as well as a tale about accepting yourself for who you are and what you want out of life. Sometimes, life is complex.
Such is the modern love affair of Jake and Kara. Together, they match, completely and hopelessly in love. Unfortunately, they want completely different things. Kara wants to settle down and have a family. Jake’s career requires that he’s always on the move. Doomed from the start.
+One follows Jake as he tries to make the relationship work and then after as he questions his decision. It’s a heart filled love story as well as a tale about accepting yourself for who you are and what you want out of life. Sometimes, life is complex.
July 21, 2012
Excerpt From Kirkus Review
Novelist Baleno’s promising first effort delivers an ordinary love story with a few surprises.
Unlikely—and occasionally unlikable—protagonist Jake Andrews is a venture capitalist dividing his time unevenly between work and play. Like most venture capitalists, Jake works too hard, and his relationship with his long-time girlfriend, grade-school teacher Kara, is suffering. Though Kara puts up with Jake’s greedy, selfish ways, it’s obvious she’s not happy with the situation. Jake seems to spend more time thinking about work or jetting out to California than settling down with her in Chicago, so Kara decides it’s time to rethink their relationship. Jake unhappily loses her but reinvents his life in California, learning about solar energy and helping fund green technology. Though he still works long hours, he sees himself bridging the gap between the old guard and the new as a kind of angel investor intent on improving the world. While Jake does his best to become a better person, worthy of Kara’s hand in marriage, fate intervenes, resulting in a number of convoluted plot twists. Although Jake never truly finds the balance he strives for in work and life, he seems content with his place in the universe. Who can blame him? He’s the master of his domain, a captain of industry and various other business clichés to boot. It’s easy to see why Kara ditches this self-made man who can’t relax for someone more down-to-earth. Though he’s the youngest member of his firm to make partner, Jake himself remains something of a cipher, the type of boring career-obsessed guy who’s smart enough to know better.
A fairly entertaining peek into the mind of a member of the 1% who has mastered career and finances but just can’t seem to hack relationships.
Novelist Baleno’s promising first effort delivers an ordinary love story with a few surprises.
Unlikely—and occasionally unlikable—protagonist Jake Andrews is a venture capitalist dividing his time unevenly between work and play. Like most venture capitalists, Jake works too hard, and his relationship with his long-time girlfriend, grade-school teacher Kara, is suffering. Though Kara puts up with Jake’s greedy, selfish ways, it’s obvious she’s not happy with the situation. Jake seems to spend more time thinking about work or jetting out to California than settling down with her in Chicago, so Kara decides it’s time to rethink their relationship. Jake unhappily loses her but reinvents his life in California, learning about solar energy and helping fund green technology. Though he still works long hours, he sees himself bridging the gap between the old guard and the new as a kind of angel investor intent on improving the world. While Jake does his best to become a better person, worthy of Kara’s hand in marriage, fate intervenes, resulting in a number of convoluted plot twists. Although Jake never truly finds the balance he strives for in work and life, he seems content with his place in the universe. Who can blame him? He’s the master of his domain, a captain of industry and various other business clichés to boot. It’s easy to see why Kara ditches this self-made man who can’t relax for someone more down-to-earth. Though he’s the youngest member of his firm to make partner, Jake himself remains something of a cipher, the type of boring career-obsessed guy who’s smart enough to know better.
A fairly entertaining peek into the mind of a member of the 1% who has mastered career and finances but just can’t seem to hack relationships.
May 25, 2012
+ One
By Brian Baleno
Jake is a workaholic investment banker who tries to juggle the work he loves and the woman he loves. Each one is important but as time progresses one of them must come first or he will lose something he cherishes. But what do you do when you love your career and the sense of pride it gives you means more to you than anyone can imagine?
This is not your happily ever after kind of book it is a look into the mind of a man who has hard choices to make where love is concerned. Though this is a well written novel and the story is interesting the woman he is in love with, Kara, drove me crazy. She whined constantly of how much he worked, but this is a personal issue I have considering my husband works twelve plus hours a day and is on call twenty four seven and leaves anywhere from a month to fifteen months at a time I kept wanting to tell Kara to suck it up if you truly love someone you make it work no matter what. In the end the book did turn around for me with an emotional scene and once the main character made his own pivotal breakthrough I did enjoy the book but the first half of the book drove me so crazy it ruined it for me.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
By Brian Baleno
Jake is a workaholic investment banker who tries to juggle the work he loves and the woman he loves. Each one is important but as time progresses one of them must come first or he will lose something he cherishes. But what do you do when you love your career and the sense of pride it gives you means more to you than anyone can imagine?
This is not your happily ever after kind of book it is a look into the mind of a man who has hard choices to make where love is concerned. Though this is a well written novel and the story is interesting the woman he is in love with, Kara, drove me crazy. She whined constantly of how much he worked, but this is a personal issue I have considering my husband works twelve plus hours a day and is on call twenty four seven and leaves anywhere from a month to fifteen months at a time I kept wanting to tell Kara to suck it up if you truly love someone you make it work no matter what. In the end the book did turn around for me with an emotional scene and once the main character made his own pivotal breakthrough I did enjoy the book but the first half of the book drove me so crazy it ruined it for me.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
January 6, 2022
A very good fiction book about a romantic relationship. The characters are very well crafted and realistic, in real situations and feelings. I usually don't read romantic novels.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews