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Buddies
In this psychological thriller, four competitive, traditional guys, buddies since grade school, become suspects in a murder when they all fall in love with the sultry, beguiling Brazilian wife of a mutual friend; she seduces each of them for her own nefarious purpose, leaving their friendship in shambles and their lives in chaos. It's the story about how lust could possibly break the bonds of a life long brotherhood and commitment between husband and wife.Four childhood friends reunite after several years of being apart. During their re-connection a new friend emerges and joins their group. This new addition to the group brings along an adventure that would truly test the bonds of their friendship. This friendly outsider is married to a cunning seductress. She uses her sexual prowess to exploit each of the men's weaknesses. They each will be drawn to do things totally out of their character in the name of lust or love? This book is filled with adventure, mystery, loyalty, lust, and love.
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2015
212 people want to read
About the author
Edward A. Dreyfus
19 books67 followersBefore turning to writing fiction, I was a practicing clinical psychologist for fifty-plus years. I have been privileged to enter the lives of countless people as their psychotherapist. Their lives and struggles revealed profound truths about the human condition. Many of the stories I heard in my practice have provided themes for my books. Often a common issue rather than a particular individual stimulated the stories.
Everyone has a story to be told. Usually, we get so caught up in living our lives that we fail to see the extraordinary embedded in the ordinary. We look at our life as just putting one foot in front of the other, trying the best we can to live our lives in a meaningful, productive way. For some of us, the task is merely to survive in the world in which we find ourselves. Sometimes it takes an outsider to tell the story.
As a psychologist, I have tried to help people make sense of their life experiences, come to terms with their inner demons, cope with tragedy, and find greater fulfillment. As a writer, I try to tell their story in a way that might help others find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
A recurrent theme in my writing is the exploration of the light and dark sides inherent in all of us. I hope to encourage people to embrace both sides, learn to integrate them, and thereby experience a greater sense of wholeness and fulfillment.
More than once, their stories resonated with my own life and helped me to gain clarity and perspective. I am profoundly grateful for the insights provided by those who trusted me with their stories and permitted me to join them on their journey of self-discovery.
I have been married to my wife, Barbara, for almost forty years, have three grown children, five grandchildren, and two pooches named Charlie and Benji. My hobbies include vegan cooking, photography, woodworking, and physical fitness. I am active in nonprofit agencies that serve children, youth, and families. All profits from the sales of my books go to these charities.
Find out more at http://www.edwarddreyfusbooks.com
Everyone has a story to be told. Usually, we get so caught up in living our lives that we fail to see the extraordinary embedded in the ordinary. We look at our life as just putting one foot in front of the other, trying the best we can to live our lives in a meaningful, productive way. For some of us, the task is merely to survive in the world in which we find ourselves. Sometimes it takes an outsider to tell the story.
As a psychologist, I have tried to help people make sense of their life experiences, come to terms with their inner demons, cope with tragedy, and find greater fulfillment. As a writer, I try to tell their story in a way that might help others find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
A recurrent theme in my writing is the exploration of the light and dark sides inherent in all of us. I hope to encourage people to embrace both sides, learn to integrate them, and thereby experience a greater sense of wholeness and fulfillment.
More than once, their stories resonated with my own life and helped me to gain clarity and perspective. I am profoundly grateful for the insights provided by those who trusted me with their stories and permitted me to join them on their journey of self-discovery.
I have been married to my wife, Barbara, for almost forty years, have three grown children, five grandchildren, and two pooches named Charlie and Benji. My hobbies include vegan cooking, photography, woodworking, and physical fitness. I am active in nonprofit agencies that serve children, youth, and families. All profits from the sales of my books go to these charities.
Find out more at http://www.edwarddreyfusbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 15, 2016
Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite
The four “buddies” featured in Edward A. Dreyfus’ novel entitled “Buddies” first met as ten-year-old schoolboys who swore an oath of friendship and secrecy. Over two decades later, all currently living in Manhattan, they hold a reunion of their secret “club”, where they decide to keep in touch. Wives meet… they play racquetball… Enter Argentinian Raul Cabrera, a wealthy businessman who imports and exports antiquities. The four buddies fall for Raul’s sexy, provocative, Brazilian wife, Sasha, each convinced that he is the only man she loves, and believing her story that Raul deals in drugs and her life is in danger. During a party at the Raul and Sasha’s penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park, Raul falls from the balcony and the police investigation reveals that it is Sasha who runs a drug cartel. For Sasha, the buddies sacrifice friendship, careers, and marriages, but which of them will be charged with Raul’s murder, and is any one of them guilty?
Initially, Edward A. Dreyfus introduces Roy, Billy, Sam and Joey in depth, and they are very different: Joey is unmarried, and slower to trust new friend Raul. Sasha makes her entrance, a sensual star against the glittering Manhattan skyline. Sasha targets all four men, but her insatiable appetite for sex wanders much further, though all the married men behaving out of character at the same time appears to rule out affairs, in the opinion of their wives. Sasha? Her childhood made her what she is, and she is a manipulative woman who invites pain if it serves her purpose. “Buddies” contains explicit scenes bordering on erotic woven into a psychological thriller by a very accomplished author.
The four “buddies” featured in Edward A. Dreyfus’ novel entitled “Buddies” first met as ten-year-old schoolboys who swore an oath of friendship and secrecy. Over two decades later, all currently living in Manhattan, they hold a reunion of their secret “club”, where they decide to keep in touch. Wives meet… they play racquetball… Enter Argentinian Raul Cabrera, a wealthy businessman who imports and exports antiquities. The four buddies fall for Raul’s sexy, provocative, Brazilian wife, Sasha, each convinced that he is the only man she loves, and believing her story that Raul deals in drugs and her life is in danger. During a party at the Raul and Sasha’s penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park, Raul falls from the balcony and the police investigation reveals that it is Sasha who runs a drug cartel. For Sasha, the buddies sacrifice friendship, careers, and marriages, but which of them will be charged with Raul’s murder, and is any one of them guilty?
Initially, Edward A. Dreyfus introduces Roy, Billy, Sam and Joey in depth, and they are very different: Joey is unmarried, and slower to trust new friend Raul. Sasha makes her entrance, a sensual star against the glittering Manhattan skyline. Sasha targets all four men, but her insatiable appetite for sex wanders much further, though all the married men behaving out of character at the same time appears to rule out affairs, in the opinion of their wives. Sasha? Her childhood made her what she is, and she is a manipulative woman who invites pain if it serves her purpose. “Buddies” contains explicit scenes bordering on erotic woven into a psychological thriller by a very accomplished author.
May 12, 2018
I won this book quite some time ago as a Goodreads giveaway. It's one of many that have languished on the shelf. Unfortunately, like so many others, it probably could have stayed there a little longer.
I'm only a couple dozen pages in and I'm having issues. I really, really don't like commenting on grammar and style, but if it jumps out and bites me in the face, I will. Commas... in theory, not hard to use. In practice, apparently it's difficult. LOTS of misplaced and missing commas abound in this book.
I'm also having troubles getting into the book because of the constant head-hopping. It's worse than a bad romance novel. Every one of the characters we're introduced to becomes a main PoV character for a paragraph, and then when the next one starts talking, THEY become the PoV and we jump into their head and hear their thoughts and motivations. It's jarring. It's amateur. It's just plain bad writing.
Overall the book needs a TON of editing. If I sat and read with a red pen with this book (and I'm sorely tempted to do so), not a single page would be unmarked. I say this to 90% of the self-published books that come across my desk, if you're not a strong self-editor, or don't have formal training to edit, PAY SOMEONE to do it for you. 99% of the errors I come across in self-published work would have been caught by even a half-competent copy editor.
If you're going to use a trademarked item in your book, at least get the name correct (better yet, don't use the trademarked name, use the generic)... it's Vicks VapoRub, not Vick's vapor rub...
So what is it? At the beginning of the book, it was the Oak Brook Secret Club, but at the end it was the Oakwood Secret Club...
Overall, the story was far-fetched and not very believable and relies almost solely on stereotypes.
I'm only a couple dozen pages in and I'm having issues. I really, really don't like commenting on grammar and style, but if it jumps out and bites me in the face, I will. Commas... in theory, not hard to use. In practice, apparently it's difficult. LOTS of misplaced and missing commas abound in this book.
I'm also having troubles getting into the book because of the constant head-hopping. It's worse than a bad romance novel. Every one of the characters we're introduced to becomes a main PoV character for a paragraph, and then when the next one starts talking, THEY become the PoV and we jump into their head and hear their thoughts and motivations. It's jarring. It's amateur. It's just plain bad writing.
Overall the book needs a TON of editing. If I sat and read with a red pen with this book (and I'm sorely tempted to do so), not a single page would be unmarked. I say this to 90% of the self-published books that come across my desk, if you're not a strong self-editor, or don't have formal training to edit, PAY SOMEONE to do it for you. 99% of the errors I come across in self-published work would have been caught by even a half-competent copy editor.
If you're going to use a trademarked item in your book, at least get the name correct (better yet, don't use the trademarked name, use the generic)... it's Vicks VapoRub, not Vick's vapor rub...
So what is it? At the beginning of the book, it was the Oak Brook Secret Club, but at the end it was the Oakwood Secret Club...
Overall, the story was far-fetched and not very believable and relies almost solely on stereotypes.
November 28, 2017
Buddies is most definitely an interesting and quick read. It begins slowly with some background information, but the pace quickens. Four grown men reunite after many years and decided to get together weekly. They were once friends in school and even had a secret club. The men decided to play racquetball and have dinner weekly. Low and behold to their surprise, they would meet a wealthy stranger who would change their lives. Arriving to this stranger's house for an Art party, the men are taken by the beauty of this man's wife. She is captivating and a sight to behold not only for the men, but for their wives as well. Though things seem simple and innocent, the motives behind every move that this woman makes is more than innocent. Eventually seduction over powers each of the friends one by one and they find themselves in a whole world of trouble. None of the men ever imagined their lives to go this far astray. These men's lives are forever changed by unfortunate circumstances and they must be able to reconcile with their families and with their own conscience. I would recommend this book to the young adult crowd. If you are looking for an interesting fast paced read, this would be the book for you. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
May 21, 2015
Buddies represents an unusual genre combination: a mix of romance and thriller that adds a healthy dose of insight into the complex psychology of men's emotions and what happens when four long-time male friends meet a seductive Brazilian woman who enchants them all.
Now, this all too easily could have assumed Peyton Place proportions, but the focus isn't just on friendships that go awry: it's on how these men fail to be emotionally honest with one another and, in the course of their failings, become involved in a murder that should never have happened.
There's a lot of focus on feelings and their sources, so readers who want a light thriller with minimal emotional depth should look elsewhere. Buddies is driven by psychological interactions which makes it a standout in the world of novels that skim the surface of emotion in favor of action, and it examines the processes by which friends and acquaintances come together, grow apart, or move in dangerous directions.
The evolution of awareness and the introduction of much-needed lessons in life make Buddies more than a murder mystery, more than a romance, and something more than a thriller; incorporating elements of the above and cementing them in a shroud of psychological depth that is both intriguing and emotionally compelling.
Now, this all too easily could have assumed Peyton Place proportions, but the focus isn't just on friendships that go awry: it's on how these men fail to be emotionally honest with one another and, in the course of their failings, become involved in a murder that should never have happened.
There's a lot of focus on feelings and their sources, so readers who want a light thriller with minimal emotional depth should look elsewhere. Buddies is driven by psychological interactions which makes it a standout in the world of novels that skim the surface of emotion in favor of action, and it examines the processes by which friends and acquaintances come together, grow apart, or move in dangerous directions.
The evolution of awareness and the introduction of much-needed lessons in life make Buddies more than a murder mystery, more than a romance, and something more than a thriller; incorporating elements of the above and cementing them in a shroud of psychological depth that is both intriguing and emotionally compelling.
March 15, 2016
Buddies is most definitely an interesting and quick read. It begins slowly with some background information, but the pace quickens. Four grown men reunite after many years and decided to get together weekly. They were once friends in school and even had a secret club. The men decided to play racquetball and have dinner weekly. Low and behold to their surprise, they would meet a wealthy stranger who would change their lives. Arriving to this stranger's house for an Art party, the men are taken by the beauty of this man's wife. She is captivating and a sight to behold not only for the men, but for their wives as well. Though things seem simple and innocent, the motives behind every move that this woman makes is more than innocent. Eventually seduction over powers each of the friends one by one and they find themselves in a whole world of trouble. None of the men ever imagined their lives to go this far astray. These men's lives are forever changed by unfortunate circumstances and they must be able to reconcile with their families and with their own conscience. I would recommend this book to the young adult crowd. If you are looking for an interesting fast paced read, this would be the book for you. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
July 14, 2016
I am reviewing this book as one that I won from the Goodreads Giveaway. There were lots of editing issues that distracted me as I was reading. Page 150 had wives matched with the wrong husbands.
It was a quick and easy read, but not my favorite- I don't like stories of dishonesty and betrayal.
It was a quick and easy read, but not my favorite- I don't like stories of dishonesty and betrayal.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews