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While My Wife's Away
To all appearances, Joe Heath is a typical straight married man, living with his wife and two teenage children, commuting to work, playing sports, enjoying a beer… But there are things about Joe that his friends don’t know. For one thing, his relationship with his wife has deteriorated to the point that they’re sleeping in separate bedrooms, only staying together until the kids have left home. And there’s something for the last few years, Joe has wanted to have sex with another man.
A chance encounter with a trainer at his gym launches Joe on a series of encounters – some casual, some serious, some comic, some dangerous, all of them erotic in the way that only James Lear can make them. Soon Joe is living a double breadwinner and father by day, sexual adventurer by night?his hunting ground the online dating sites that give him access to anyone and anything he wants.
While My Wife’s Away is a hot read, but it’s also an odyssey of self-discovery, as Joe tests the limits of his new freedom. Can he survive in a world of instant sexual gratification? And will he ever find someone to love?
A chance encounter with a trainer at his gym launches Joe on a series of encounters – some casual, some serious, some comic, some dangerous, all of them erotic in the way that only James Lear can make them. Soon Joe is living a double breadwinner and father by day, sexual adventurer by night?his hunting ground the online dating sites that give him access to anyone and anything he wants.
While My Wife’s Away is a hot read, but it’s also an odyssey of self-discovery, as Joe tests the limits of his new freedom. Can he survive in a world of instant sexual gratification? And will he ever find someone to love?
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2017
30 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
James Lear
13 books362 followersJames Lear is the nom de plume of prolific and acclaimed novelist, Rupert Smith. He lives in London and is the 2008 Winner of Erotic Awards "Best Writer".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 19, 2019
Update/Re-read December 2019:
Original review:
DON'T READ IT IN PUBLIC.
And don't tell, I didn't WARN you.
James Lear...is incredible. He elevates gay erotica genre to a completely different skill level. If that day ever comes (let us be a bit optimistic - after all, TODAY is a historical day in Germany: our Parliament approved Same-Sex Marriage), then I believe James Lear's literary achievement in THE GENRE will be worthy of a Nobel Prize (who could imagine 10 years ago that Bob Dylan would get it too?). Anyway, my opinion about James Lear hasn't been changed since my first book by the author: a literature professor devoting his spare time to writing of sophisticated porn.
To tell the truth, I was worried when I saw the title of this book the first time. While My Wife Is Away ? Really?! It sounded NOT like James Lear's books, it sounded like...a trivial PWP novel that you can get on Amazon for free. Th0se one that is categorized as gay erotica. But...by all respect...there is a HUGE difference between James Lear's gay erotica and gay PWP on Amazon FOR FREE. This one is worth EVERY.SINGLE.PENNY.EURO.
EVERY.fucking SINGLE.PENNY.EURO. You want Porsche, you buy Porsche. End of discussions.
Now, when I finished it, I can say that the title is a perfect choice for the first part of the book, but still, IMO, it doesn't show the profoundness of the story in WHOLE. Even if the author, as always, in his mind-blowing manner, delivers one voluptuously arousing sex scene after another, without even a faint hint of ANY repetition - be prepared!-
- the high art, considering the number of the sex scenes - but I don't want to reduce this novel just to amasturbation stimulating read. If you won't notice the inner psychological drama of the battles between lies and life, the moral and the need, the RIGHT and the WRONG; if you won't see all the tragedy of unfulfilled lives or a pseudo marriage (there are always more than just one person involved) behind all these floating sexual excesses, then I can't help you.
Talking about tragic...For all James Lear fans who expect not just a delicious erotica but also his famous snarky humor, I didn't find this book actually funny.
Hot? Oh, YES. Thoughtful? Yes. Sarcastic? Yes, yes, yes. Great writing? What a stupid question! Romantic? Are you f* kidding me? Hmmmm...maybe...Funny? Not really. Good? Good is a big understatement. Do I want a sequel? NO. It is perfect how it is. Would I recommend it? Depends on. You want a MM Romance? Skip it. Your imagination of GAY EROTICA is a MM Romance book with extended sex scenes? Skip it. You want to be introduced to the BEST GAY EROTICA WRITER EVER? You are James Lear fan? You are gay? You appreciate an amazing writing? You have a similar book taste? My congratulations, it is YOUR book.
While My Wife's Away is a brilliantly written coming-out story.
It doesn't have a HEA, but it is a HFN. And I REALLY hope that Joe stops sticking his head in the sand and find a way of getting a grip on his life. I hope. I really hope.
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
Even better the second time.
The BEST GAY EROTICA EVER.
Original review:
DON'T READ IT IN PUBLIC. And don't tell, I didn't WARN you.
James Lear...is incredible. He elevates gay erotica genre to a completely different skill level. If that day ever comes (let us be a bit optimistic - after all, TODAY is a historical day in Germany: our Parliament approved Same-Sex Marriage), then I believe James Lear's literary achievement in THE GENRE will be worthy of a Nobel Prize (who could imagine 10 years ago that Bob Dylan would get it too?). Anyway, my opinion about James Lear hasn't been changed since my first book by the author: a literature professor devoting his spare time to writing of sophisticated porn.
To tell the truth, I was worried when I saw the title of this book the first time. While My Wife Is Away ? Really?! It sounded NOT like James Lear's books, it sounded like...a trivial PWP novel that you can get on Amazon for free. Th0se one that is categorized as gay erotica. But...by all respect...there is a HUGE difference between James Lear's gay erotica and gay PWP on Amazon FOR FREE. This one is worth EVERY.SINGLE.
EVERY.
Now, when I finished it, I can say that the title is a perfect choice for the first part of the book, but still, IMO, it doesn't show the profoundness of the story in WHOLE. Even if the author, as always, in his mind-blowing manner, delivers one voluptuously arousing sex scene after another, without even a faint hint of ANY repetition - be prepared!-
- the high art, considering the number of the sex scenes - but I don't want to reduce this novel just to a
Talking about tragic...For all James Lear fans who expect not just a delicious erotica but also his famous snarky humor, I didn't find this book actually funny.
Hot? Oh, YES. Thoughtful? Yes. Sarcastic? Yes, yes, yes. Great writing? What a stupid question! Romantic? Are you f* kidding me? Hmmmm...maybe...Funny? Not really. Good? Good is a big understatement. Do I want a sequel? NO. It is perfect how it is. Would I recommend it? Depends on. You want a MM Romance? Skip it. Your imagination of GAY EROTICA is a MM Romance book with extended sex scenes? Skip it. You want to be introduced to the BEST GAY EROTICA WRITER EVER? You are James Lear fan? You are gay? You appreciate an amazing writing? You have a similar book taste? My congratulations, it is YOUR book.
While My Wife's Away is a brilliantly written coming-out story.
It doesn't have a HEA, but it is a HFN. And I REALLY hope that Joe stops sticking his head in the sand and find a way of getting a grip on his life. I hope. I really hope.
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
February 18, 2022
I'm going to begin this review with some information about the ending that I wish I'd had before I bought the book. Behind a spoiler tag — because although I don't consider it a spoiler, it's possible others might:
I'd been looking forward to reading James Lear for some time, but this book probably wasn't the ideal introduction. It was on sale, though, which rarely happens for any of his novels, so I bought it — despite its distinctly off-putting title.
I didn't particularly like Joe Heath, the story's 1st person narrator. And I believe that was precisely the author's intention. Heath is an average joe, so to speak, just a regular guy — one who discovers his sexual orientation at a late stage in life and then sets out to explore it. To the max. Cue lots and lots (and lots and lots) of casual sex, with lots and lots (and lots and lots) of men.
There's a compulsive and, ultimately, a self-sabotaging quality to Joe's behavior. He's driven relentlessly not just by the desire for physical pleasure, but by a longing for emotional connection. At the end of the book he says of himself, "After all I've told you about my sex life, you may find it hard to believe that I actually believe in love. That I'm a romantic soul." But in fact it's all too believable, has in fact been obvious all along. Joe yearns mightily for true love... yet is repeatedly, and perhaps irrevocably, his own worst enemy.
I didn't enjoy this book, and I felt cheated by the ending (see spoiler above). However, it's well-written — in fact I feel like the author accomplished pretty much exactly what he set out to do with it, including my reaction to it as a reader. So I can't see my way to rating it less than 3 stars, even though they're rather grudgingly given.
I'd been looking forward to reading James Lear for some time, but this book probably wasn't the ideal introduction. It was on sale, though, which rarely happens for any of his novels, so I bought it — despite its distinctly off-putting title.
I didn't particularly like Joe Heath, the story's 1st person narrator. And I believe that was precisely the author's intention. Heath is an average joe, so to speak, just a regular guy — one who discovers his sexual orientation at a late stage in life and then sets out to explore it. To the max. Cue lots and lots (and lots and lots) of casual sex, with lots and lots (and lots and lots) of men.
There's a compulsive and, ultimately, a self-sabotaging quality to Joe's behavior. He's driven relentlessly not just by the desire for physical pleasure, but by a longing for emotional connection. At the end of the book he says of himself, "After all I've told you about my sex life, you may find it hard to believe that I actually believe in love. That I'm a romantic soul." But in fact it's all too believable, has in fact been obvious all along. Joe yearns mightily for true love... yet is repeatedly, and perhaps irrevocably, his own worst enemy.
I didn't enjoy this book, and I felt cheated by the ending (see spoiler above). However, it's well-written — in fact I feel like the author accomplished pretty much exactly what he set out to do with it, including my reaction to it as a reader. So I can't see my way to rating it less than 3 stars, even though they're rather grudgingly given.
September 22, 2017
3.75 Stars
January 23, 2022
I don't know what to say. Literally.
I actually just want to curl up in a corner and cry and not say a single thing about this book.
No question, James Lear writes excellent erotica. I am also impressed how he improves every sex scene until the final one feels like a New Year's Eve firework. Not to mention that the author has a thing for hairy men that I find very appealing.
And yes, the author knows the stories of formerly straight and married gay men having their coming out late in life really well. Including all the dark sides.
But damn, this was just one sad and heartbreaking story with a character that I came to like and care for, only to find out that he is unable to make rational and positive decisions and who - I was shocked to realize - cannot be believed when he tells someone he loves them.
What a nightmarish scenario this coming out story was.
OMG.
It was excellently written, but can I wholeheartedly recommend this, knowing I'd be damning someone to spend a couple of hours in this sad and hopeless universe?! I'm not sure.
3 stars (5 if you only look at the erotica aspect of it all)
I actually just want to curl up in a corner and cry and not say a single thing about this book.
No question, James Lear writes excellent erotica. I am also impressed how he improves every sex scene until the final one feels like a New Year's Eve firework. Not to mention that the author has a thing for hairy men that I find very appealing.
And yes, the author knows the stories of formerly straight and married gay men having their coming out late in life really well. Including all the dark sides.
But damn, this was just one sad and heartbreaking story with a character that I came to like and care for, only to find out that he is unable to make rational and positive decisions and who - I was shocked to realize - cannot be believed when he tells someone he loves them.
What a nightmarish scenario this coming out story was.
OMG.
It was excellently written, but can I wholeheartedly recommend this, knowing I'd be damning someone to spend a couple of hours in this sad and hopeless universe?! I'm not sure.
3 stars (5 if you only look at the erotica aspect of it all)
September 16, 2017
Joe 42 years old......done with his relationship...finds himself wanking at porn and looking at the guys instead of the women.. horny ALL the time....
At the gym he hears a pang in his shoulder. Adrian, gym instructor and physiotherapist gives him a helping hand(s) ...oiled...smooth massaging him... it helps a lot, he can relax again, only one part of his body refuses to relax and gives Joe a hard on...
The way Joe talks to himself is really funny.
Then there was Stuart
Then there is Michael, life changing Michael. Afterwards Joe goes home, where he lives with his wife and children.
He is questioning himself...his life, his feelings...what he was...is....will be.
Many rational and irrational thoughts run through his head.
All those thoughts were just magnificent put down, natural with a light and positive touch and then sometimes dead serious....It read very enthralling....
Then there is Bill
Every time he takes a new step forward there goes a bomb of in his head...all fragments run before his eyes. He was daring...the most extreme things could happen....or not :)
Then there is Simon
He did bold things and almost regretted them before he even started. But he felt somehow intrepid...and did go on doing things...I will not spoil but they are hot.
He is a man on a journey and he knows the direction....it felt natural.
His self esteem is growing higher and higher, his self knowledge is amazing!
"My cock was unattended now, but that suited me fine, knowing how trigger-happy I could be."
What follows is a nose dive. The down spiral....he withdraws and feels lonely....also the feeling of insecure seeping into his vain...
Then there was Graham and then beautiful young Pascal and more....
Joe isn't flawless thank God. You could recognize yourself in him. His unspoken desires, the (over)thinking....My heart was reaching out to him. I really liked him. A friendly, easygoing guy who had the urge to expand his borders...sometimes desperate....sometimes not honest.....but always looking for connection. He did grow and that was so wonderful !
At times he thought he had a friend but they always seem to vaporize in thin air....until they didn't ...
Great read, smooth written, at times funny, erotic always ! with layers and amazingly entertaining.
I absorb it all in like a sponge. A honest, super searing, horny journey of self discovery...with no deprivation. A colorful painted picture revealed before your eyes of a man with many titles and not one of them said 'straight'
All focused on one part of his life but the other parts were also satisfying developed.
This review was longer... much longer I was only at 45% and had a summary more than a page. That was to much...so these were my thoughts....
The end is somewhere in the middle of a HFN and that was okey with me.
It's not a conventional read more opposite. For me a mustread and I want to recommend it.
A copy received from the Publisher Cleis Press who were very patiently with me....thank you!
At the gym he hears a pang in his shoulder. Adrian, gym instructor and physiotherapist gives him a helping hand(s) ...oiled...smooth massaging him... it helps a lot, he can relax again, only one part of his body refuses to relax and gives Joe a hard on...
The way Joe talks to himself is really funny.
Then there was Stuart
Then there is Michael, life changing Michael. Afterwards Joe goes home, where he lives with his wife and children.
He is questioning himself...his life, his feelings...what he was...is....will be.
Many rational and irrational thoughts run through his head.
All those thoughts were just magnificent put down, natural with a light and positive touch and then sometimes dead serious....It read very enthralling....
Then there is Bill
Every time he takes a new step forward there goes a bomb of in his head...all fragments run before his eyes. He was daring...the most extreme things could happen....or not :)
Then there is Simon
He did bold things and almost regretted them before he even started. But he felt somehow intrepid...and did go on doing things...I will not spoil but they are hot.
He is a man on a journey and he knows the direction....it felt natural.
His self esteem is growing higher and higher, his self knowledge is amazing!
"My cock was unattended now, but that suited me fine, knowing how trigger-happy I could be."
What follows is a nose dive. The down spiral....he withdraws and feels lonely....also the feeling of insecure seeping into his vain...
Then there was Graham and then beautiful young Pascal and more....
Joe isn't flawless thank God. You could recognize yourself in him. His unspoken desires, the (over)thinking....My heart was reaching out to him. I really liked him. A friendly, easygoing guy who had the urge to expand his borders...sometimes desperate....sometimes not honest.....but always looking for connection. He did grow and that was so wonderful !
At times he thought he had a friend but they always seem to vaporize in thin air....until they didn't ...
Great read, smooth written, at times funny, erotic always ! with layers and amazingly entertaining.
I absorb it all in like a sponge. A honest, super searing, horny journey of self discovery...with no deprivation. A colorful painted picture revealed before your eyes of a man with many titles and not one of them said 'straight'
All focused on one part of his life but the other parts were also satisfying developed.
This review was longer... much longer I was only at 45% and had a summary more than a page. That was to much...so these were my thoughts....
The end is somewhere in the middle of a HFN and that was okey with me.
It's not a conventional read more opposite. For me a mustread and I want to recommend it.
A copy received from the Publisher Cleis Press who were very patiently with me....thank you!
August 4, 2017
4 hearts!
Well that was a very interesting book which left me with very mixed emotions. I love a good cheating book, one where the relationship is shrouded in taboo, lust and a splash of guilt. However be aware, this isn't a love story. This isn't the story of a man falling in love with another man while he happens to be married. This is the story of a lonely but selfish man who is searching for a connection with someone.
Don't expect to like Joe, he's very self indulgent and knows it. Don't expect a HEA, there isn't one. Some people would say there's a HFN, which I guess for some parts of Joe's life that's true, for some others... absolutely not. Despite all of this I felt for Joe and felt with him, probably because this was so well written. We understand Joe on such depth you can’t help but feel his loneliness and want him to find his HEA and then in the same breath he can make you feel sooo angry you just want to punch his silly head.
I've read a few books where the whole mindset of the cheater was very glossed over because let's face it, it's not a pretty thing, but that was not done here. One of my most favorite aspects of this story was seeing Joe's own justifications of what he was doing, it felt very realistic to cheaters. For example after one of his trysts he comes home feeling guilty, ready to make up with his wife, when he finds she's not there he is angry at her for missing her chance at making up. Like I said not pretty, but quite realistic.
Now all of this is sounding pretty depressing, which is totally not my thing, so why 4 hearts? The sex. Seriously, the sex!
See the rest of my review here,
Well that was a very interesting book which left me with very mixed emotions. I love a good cheating book, one where the relationship is shrouded in taboo, lust and a splash of guilt. However be aware, this isn't a love story. This isn't the story of a man falling in love with another man while he happens to be married. This is the story of a lonely but selfish man who is searching for a connection with someone.
Don't expect to like Joe, he's very self indulgent and knows it. Don't expect a HEA, there isn't one. Some people would say there's a HFN, which I guess for some parts of Joe's life that's true, for some others... absolutely not. Despite all of this I felt for Joe and felt with him, probably because this was so well written. We understand Joe on such depth you can’t help but feel his loneliness and want him to find his HEA and then in the same breath he can make you feel sooo angry you just want to punch his silly head.
I've read a few books where the whole mindset of the cheater was very glossed over because let's face it, it's not a pretty thing, but that was not done here. One of my most favorite aspects of this story was seeing Joe's own justifications of what he was doing, it felt very realistic to cheaters. For example after one of his trysts he comes home feeling guilty, ready to make up with his wife, when he finds she's not there he is angry at her for missing her chance at making up. Like I said not pretty, but quite realistic.
Now all of this is sounding pretty depressing, which is totally not my thing, so why 4 hearts? The sex. Seriously, the sex!
See the rest of my review here,
February 10, 2022
The story of a cheat – Joe. He packs a lot in as we follow one entanglement after another. The settings for these range from the sordid to the sublime. Spicily readable M/M tale with an in-built morality check and so many twists and turns in the story line.
There’s a price to pay for everything of course. Clever ending which leaves scope for a follow-up?
There’s a price to pay for everything of course. Clever ending which leaves scope for a follow-up?
December 21, 2019
This is a brilliant erotica book with a real 3-D MC. I'm not a fan of James Lear's mysteries but loved While my wife is away.
July 19, 2017
Well, this one threw me for a loop. Usually, cheating is a complete no-go for me and, while it's not an immediate DNF, it usually means that I'm going to rate a book pretty low because I have a hard time liking the character afterwards. When I decided to read this, I thought that maybe Joe and his wife were already pretty well separated but still lived together for their kids (like the husband and wife knew they were over but everyone else didn't). But that's not quite what this was. They both knew that their marriage was over, but it was like they were living in a bubble and pretended that everything was fine while they lived their own lives and didn't talk to each other anymore. They never talked about their separation, it just gradually became a thing, and Joe's adventues start before that becomes obvious to the reader.
While My Wife's Away reads very much like a journal. Like the MC, Joe, was telling the story of all of his gay sexual encounters both during and after his marriage had officially ended. There were parts where the infidelity made me a little bit uncomfortable and I was quick to judge Joe and his decisions, but Lear did one hell of a job of making Joe... not really personable, but understandable. Even though I disagreed with Joe, I understood him. This novel was about pain and letting go and finding a new self, and it was also really hard to read.
It was clear that Joe was in pain. He was upset about his marriage failing, he felt helpless over the loss of his kids and how little control he really had over his life. He wanted to finally do something that was just for him and nobody else. And it turns out that loving men is that thing.
However much I wanted to scream at Joe to just TELL HIS WIFE and stop sneaking around and hiding his homoerotic adventures, I had to just sit back and take this book for what it was. Lear wasn't trying to make Joe be the most likable, personable, charismatic man he could have. Instead, he told a story about what really happens when marriages fall apart and nobody communicates and when who you really are, who you really love, is eating you up inside. Each one of Joe's little trysts allowed him to break free, if only for a minute.
That doesn't mean he's excused for cheating on his wife. Far from it, but he was honest about his infidelity and he knew exactly what kind of person that made him and he owned up to who that man was. Quite honestly, I'm still confused over this book. I didn't particularly dislike Joe. I disliked his decisions, but there wasn't anything about Joe that made me want to punch him. But there also wasn't anything about him that made me love him. He was a man in a lot of pain experiencing the loss of his marriage and his family. It was reality.
But the hardest part about this book is not having the full story and knowing that you have to be content with that. There are things revealed later in this book that bring more perspective to Joe's decisions, and while that doesn't excuse him, it at least makes it possible to understand where he's coming from. And there are a lot of questions that never get answered. The end drops off with the cliffhanger of a lifetime and it doesn't feel like there's going to be a sequel, but it does have a positive tone to it.
The writing, however, was phenomenal. Lear is one hell of an author and I wouldn't hesitate to read more from this author. While My Wife's Away was the eye opening roller coaster I didn't know I was getting on. I still have mixed feelings over this book and Joe, but as hard as it was to read, I'm really glad I did.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
While My Wife's Away reads very much like a journal. Like the MC, Joe, was telling the story of all of his gay sexual encounters both during and after his marriage had officially ended. There were parts where the infidelity made me a little bit uncomfortable and I was quick to judge Joe and his decisions, but Lear did one hell of a job of making Joe... not really personable, but understandable. Even though I disagreed with Joe, I understood him. This novel was about pain and letting go and finding a new self, and it was also really hard to read.
It was clear that Joe was in pain. He was upset about his marriage failing, he felt helpless over the loss of his kids and how little control he really had over his life. He wanted to finally do something that was just for him and nobody else. And it turns out that loving men is that thing.
However much I wanted to scream at Joe to just TELL HIS WIFE and stop sneaking around and hiding his homoerotic adventures, I had to just sit back and take this book for what it was. Lear wasn't trying to make Joe be the most likable, personable, charismatic man he could have. Instead, he told a story about what really happens when marriages fall apart and nobody communicates and when who you really are, who you really love, is eating you up inside. Each one of Joe's little trysts allowed him to break free, if only for a minute.
That doesn't mean he's excused for cheating on his wife. Far from it, but he was honest about his infidelity and he knew exactly what kind of person that made him and he owned up to who that man was. Quite honestly, I'm still confused over this book. I didn't particularly dislike Joe. I disliked his decisions, but there wasn't anything about Joe that made me want to punch him. But there also wasn't anything about him that made me love him. He was a man in a lot of pain experiencing the loss of his marriage and his family. It was reality.
But the hardest part about this book is not having the full story and knowing that you have to be content with that. There are things revealed later in this book that bring more perspective to Joe's decisions, and while that doesn't excuse him, it at least makes it possible to understand where he's coming from. And there are a lot of questions that never get answered. The end drops off with the cliffhanger of a lifetime and it doesn't feel like there's going to be a sequel, but it does have a positive tone to it.
The writing, however, was phenomenal. Lear is one hell of an author and I wouldn't hesitate to read more from this author. While My Wife's Away was the eye opening roller coaster I didn't know I was getting on. I still have mixed feelings over this book and Joe, but as hard as it was to read, I'm really glad I did.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
December 25, 2019
well written? - yes
erotic? - subjective - everyone has her/his own scale
wanted to keep reading ? - not really, Joe is one 'unaware' bastard or he pretends to be. I could not even grasp at seeing some change because he just gets himself deeper into LalaLand.
erotic? - subjective - everyone has her/his own scale
wanted to keep reading ? - not really, Joe is one 'unaware' bastard or he pretends to be. I could not even grasp at seeing some change because he just gets himself deeper into LalaLand.
July 24, 2024
a very messy coming out erotica with an unsatisfying ending.
Kink warning: watersports🤮
Kink warning: watersports🤮
February 26, 2018
I could approach this review in two ways. I could go on about how this book is a slice of life - it's describing a few months out of Joe Heath's life as if he's journaling about it, rather than telling a story in the traditional sense. That it's about what boils down to a mid-life crisis that turns into self-discovery but it's really just a man in his mid-40's looking at his life, unhappy with where it is, then going on quite the bender and changing things drastically. I could say that this book is unapologetic and realistic, that Joe is flawed and human in his behaviors and actions; we aren't all perfect, and Joe is an example of that.
But I won't. Instead, I'm going to say that I just really didn't like this book. I hated Joe. He makes mistake after mistake - like, stupid, dumb mistakes, even though he says he knows he shouldn't make them. He's a liar, who consciously lies without knowing why he's lying. He's selfish. He's reckless. He doesn't learn from his mistakes, he just makes them again and again.
This story isn't, well, a story. There's no satisfying ending. It's definitely not a romance, so if you're looking for that, this is a book you'll want to skip. I didn't go in expecting a traditional romance based on other reviews, but I did expect at least a tenuous HFN, but I can't even argue that we have that. Here's no happy-for-anything here. Everyone's still miserable when the book ends. Everyone is lying, to themselves and others. There are (big) issues that don't get resolved. It was not satisfying to read, at all. Oh, also, at least in the version I read (through my Hoopla app), there is a huge timeline/consistency error in the last third of this book that completely changed the trajectory of the story. I read with a crease in my brow saying, "Huh?!" over and over because literally nothing made sense for about a chapter until I just gave up asking questions and went with the flow.
I read reviews arguing that this isn't PWP, and that's true, to an extent. There is stuff going on in the background that I guess is supposed to be plot. But either way, this book is 100% erotica. Which, you know, sometimes you want. But it's not even good erotica. The sex scenes are basically the same thing over and over and over. About half of them go down in the exact same way, the only difference being the partner. Same words, same positions, same outcome. It was so repetitive that, even though they were well written and not cheesy, I was skimming them because I could basically recite everything from when it happened the last time.
I could look past the awful characters and the boring sex and the lack of plot if there was just something satisfying about reading it. But in the end, by the time I reached the last page, I just felt vaguely sick to my stomach and uncomfortable.
But I won't. Instead, I'm going to say that I just really didn't like this book. I hated Joe. He makes mistake after mistake - like, stupid, dumb mistakes, even though he says he knows he shouldn't make them. He's a liar, who consciously lies without knowing why he's lying. He's selfish. He's reckless. He doesn't learn from his mistakes, he just makes them again and again.
This story isn't, well, a story. There's no satisfying ending. It's definitely not a romance, so if you're looking for that, this is a book you'll want to skip. I didn't go in expecting a traditional romance based on other reviews, but I did expect at least a tenuous HFN, but I can't even argue that we have that. Here's no happy-for-anything here. Everyone's still miserable when the book ends. Everyone is lying, to themselves and others. There are (big) issues that don't get resolved. It was not satisfying to read, at all. Oh, also, at least in the version I read (through my Hoopla app), there is a huge timeline/consistency error in the last third of this book that completely changed the trajectory of the story. I read with a crease in my brow saying, "Huh?!" over and over because literally nothing made sense for about a chapter until I just gave up asking questions and went with the flow.
I read reviews arguing that this isn't PWP, and that's true, to an extent. There is stuff going on in the background that I guess is supposed to be plot. But either way, this book is 100% erotica. Which, you know, sometimes you want. But it's not even good erotica. The sex scenes are basically the same thing over and over and over. About half of them go down in the exact same way, the only difference being the partner. Same words, same positions, same outcome. It was so repetitive that, even though they were well written and not cheesy, I was skimming them because I could basically recite everything from when it happened the last time.
I could look past the awful characters and the boring sex and the lack of plot if there was just something satisfying about reading it. But in the end, by the time I reached the last page, I just felt vaguely sick to my stomach and uncomfortable.
August 22, 2017
Ahem! Ahem!
Ahhhhemmm! Ahhhhemmm!
That is me clearing my throat. Seriously. I just read some deep level mind fuckery. A fuckery which is kinda elite among its peers. Or genuine. You know what! that's the word I was thinking through the first 85% of the novel, (Until Stuart came back) that this is one of most genuine writing I've read in gay erotica. It's not gentlemanly, mind you. It's livid and elicit in its own wright. But it kinda explains the fucked up shit almost all of us get into one way or another. Damn good writing! My first by this author and man oh man was this a horny fun ride!
The story is quite straight. A guy goes on a vendetta against his 'straightness', literally. He has to has to HAS TO experience every imaginable gay feeling in this world (sans BDSM, maybe some dom but that's about it). His experiences shame most of the gay men like me who are looking for romantic love and keeping their dicks locked save for the one. Who for, I ask myself? Definitely not for fucked-up Joe or Jack or whatever persona he wants to don today?
But damn good writing! I wonder how many times I'm going to think about this novel in the coming months and when I'm laughing at some fucker who put up his add on Craigslist and think I read a story about a guy like him! A guy who is desperate for that give-it-to-me and will just won't stop at anything. Anything!
And after all this time you might be wondering, are we getting a review out of this or just a small rant of your sad sex life? Dude, I'm not sad. I'm fucking happy that I read this and saw myself through the end without chucking my kindle in complete despair that this is what the future holds! This is the future of every Joe who's coming to terms with his sexuality. If not this level of extreme or fucked up but definitely something similar. It's mostly just sad endings with huge uncertainty waiting to capture you in its net and orgasms which are as good as they last. Anonymous encounters yet still affecting. Affecting because they make and change you. And this book produces that in a very and I mean really badly, very serious writing. A person's journey to a just-now happiness.
Ahhhhemmm! Ahhhhemmm!
That is me clearing my throat. Seriously. I just read some deep level mind fuckery. A fuckery which is kinda elite among its peers. Or genuine. You know what! that's the word I was thinking through the first 85% of the novel, (Until Stuart came back) that this is one of most genuine writing I've read in gay erotica. It's not gentlemanly, mind you. It's livid and elicit in its own wright. But it kinda explains the fucked up shit almost all of us get into one way or another. Damn good writing! My first by this author and man oh man was this a horny fun ride!
The story is quite straight. A guy goes on a vendetta against his 'straightness', literally. He has to has to HAS TO experience every imaginable gay feeling in this world (sans BDSM, maybe some dom but that's about it). His experiences shame most of the gay men like me who are looking for romantic love and keeping their dicks locked save for the one. Who for, I ask myself? Definitely not for fucked-up Joe or Jack or whatever persona he wants to don today?
But damn good writing! I wonder how many times I'm going to think about this novel in the coming months and when I'm laughing at some fucker who put up his add on Craigslist and think I read a story about a guy like him! A guy who is desperate for that give-it-to-me and will just won't stop at anything. Anything!
And after all this time you might be wondering, are we getting a review out of this or just a small rant of your sad sex life? Dude, I'm not sad. I'm fucking happy that I read this and saw myself through the end without chucking my kindle in complete despair that this is what the future holds! This is the future of every Joe who's coming to terms with his sexuality. If not this level of extreme or fucked up but definitely something similar. It's mostly just sad endings with huge uncertainty waiting to capture you in its net and orgasms which are as good as they last. Anonymous encounters yet still affecting. Affecting because they make and change you. And this book produces that in a very and I mean really badly, very serious writing. A person's journey to a just-now happiness.
June 23, 2017
James Lear writes amazingly erotic sex scenes, there’s no doubt about that. However, there have been times where his books don’t have enough plot. I don’t expect much in erotica, but I like at least some character development. This book had the perfect amount of sex-to-plot, with most sex scenes having a point in the growth of the main character.
Having gone through a similar experience myself, I enjoyed reading Joe Heath’s journey of self-discovery. His life has become stale and boring, and he isn’t sure that his marriage is going to last when he begins to wonder what sex with a man would be like. I was so happy that Joe didn’t immediately jump into anal sex, which happens a lot in books. Instead, in a realistic experience, he begins with getting a blow job, and it goes from there.
Watching Joe experience and accept his sexuality was fascinating and hot. There are all sorts of sex scenes here, even some BDSM stuff. There’s even a sad scene where Joe’s emotions damaged.
This book isn’t going to be for everyone. The main character is a married man who cheats on his wife, and it doesn’t have an HEA, but it was well-written and interesting. If hot sex scenes are your thing, then I definitely recommend this one.
Reviewed by Queue for The Novel Approach
Having gone through a similar experience myself, I enjoyed reading Joe Heath’s journey of self-discovery. His life has become stale and boring, and he isn’t sure that his marriage is going to last when he begins to wonder what sex with a man would be like. I was so happy that Joe didn’t immediately jump into anal sex, which happens a lot in books. Instead, in a realistic experience, he begins with getting a blow job, and it goes from there.
Watching Joe experience and accept his sexuality was fascinating and hot. There are all sorts of sex scenes here, even some BDSM stuff. There’s even a sad scene where Joe’s emotions damaged.
This book isn’t going to be for everyone. The main character is a married man who cheats on his wife, and it doesn’t have an HEA, but it was well-written and interesting. If hot sex scenes are your thing, then I definitely recommend this one.
Reviewed by Queue for The Novel Approach
June 22, 2017
Great Story
I am a big fan of James Lear's work. I've read most of his books. His characters are always well crafted, interesting and have great depth.
Joe, the main character is hard to like at times, but that is what makes
His books so fascinating and readable. I love his descriptions of sex. Just
delicious! I can't wait for his next story!
I am a big fan of James Lear's work. I've read most of his books. His characters are always well crafted, interesting and have great depth.
Joe, the main character is hard to like at times, but that is what makes
His books so fascinating and readable. I love his descriptions of sex. Just
delicious! I can't wait for his next story!
February 27, 2021
Beneath the surface of this expertly written and highly arousing piece of straight-to-gay erotica is a searing portrait of contemporary masculinity and internalised self-loathing. It’s a subversive sleigh-of-hand that only a very talented writer could pull-off.
Joe Heath is a 40-something British everyman heading straight for the predictable crisis of the white suburban male. Having sleepwalked into adulthood, he’s now fallen out of love with his wife. His job brings him no personal satisfaction, his friends seem to have drifted away unnoticed and his kids may was well live on another planet.
A male physio’s massage at the gym triggers a surprising hard-on, the first step in a journey of sexual self-discovery as Joe uses gay sex to unlock his cell and fuck his way to freedom.
Unfortunately, freedom doesn’t taste as sweet as he’d briefly allowed himself to imagine. Instead, Joe finds himself in larger, invisible cage, built by his own hands and made entirely of self-hatred.
What starts as generic but highly effective erotica quickly morphs into something much less comfortable: a self-narrated portrait of existential despair.
James Lear takes a significant risk in painting Joe Heath as a self-delusional, self-pitying, self-absorbed and self-indulgent twat – I suspect some readers won’t stay along for the ride. Joe’s an inconsiderate husband and negligent father. He’s sexist, narcissistic and boring, an empty vessel with no inner life. Sex at first is liberation, until Joe imbues it with the soullessness that permeates the rest of his life. In some ways he’s Patrick Bateman’s under-achieving Brit cousin.
The risk pays off. We may not like our narrator, but by the time we recognise his flaws we’ve been tricked into identifying with him through beautifully described first person sexual fantasies.
Joe Heath is a blank canvas onto which brave readers will project their worst insecurities. He’s a mirror in which we see reflected our most self-delusional hedonistic narratives, self-gratifying impulses disguised as non-conformism, selfish streaks paraded as self-affirmation in the face of social oppression.
Clever is the novelist who can design a story that works so effectively on multiple levels at once. In a surprising, well-executed ending, we are shown how dishonesty and self-loathing reproduce themselves socially like a virus, and the courage it might take to break the cycle.
In the same way the best violent novels interrogate our relationship to violence, and even our complicity as readers, While My Wife’s Away invites us to reflect on the sex we aspire to have and what it says about the people we aspire to be. I was turned on, yet also encouraged to ponder what turned me on and why, and the part that honesty and self-delusion play in the process.
It’s not what I was expecting when I picked up this book with my left hand, but now that my right hand is stroking my chin, I can’t say I’m ungrateful for the change of plan.
Joe Heath is a 40-something British everyman heading straight for the predictable crisis of the white suburban male. Having sleepwalked into adulthood, he’s now fallen out of love with his wife. His job brings him no personal satisfaction, his friends seem to have drifted away unnoticed and his kids may was well live on another planet.
A male physio’s massage at the gym triggers a surprising hard-on, the first step in a journey of sexual self-discovery as Joe uses gay sex to unlock his cell and fuck his way to freedom.
Unfortunately, freedom doesn’t taste as sweet as he’d briefly allowed himself to imagine. Instead, Joe finds himself in larger, invisible cage, built by his own hands and made entirely of self-hatred.
What starts as generic but highly effective erotica quickly morphs into something much less comfortable: a self-narrated portrait of existential despair.
James Lear takes a significant risk in painting Joe Heath as a self-delusional, self-pitying, self-absorbed and self-indulgent twat – I suspect some readers won’t stay along for the ride. Joe’s an inconsiderate husband and negligent father. He’s sexist, narcissistic and boring, an empty vessel with no inner life. Sex at first is liberation, until Joe imbues it with the soullessness that permeates the rest of his life. In some ways he’s Patrick Bateman’s under-achieving Brit cousin.
The risk pays off. We may not like our narrator, but by the time we recognise his flaws we’ve been tricked into identifying with him through beautifully described first person sexual fantasies.
Joe Heath is a blank canvas onto which brave readers will project their worst insecurities. He’s a mirror in which we see reflected our most self-delusional hedonistic narratives, self-gratifying impulses disguised as non-conformism, selfish streaks paraded as self-affirmation in the face of social oppression.
Clever is the novelist who can design a story that works so effectively on multiple levels at once. In a surprising, well-executed ending, we are shown how dishonesty and self-loathing reproduce themselves socially like a virus, and the courage it might take to break the cycle.
In the same way the best violent novels interrogate our relationship to violence, and even our complicity as readers, While My Wife’s Away invites us to reflect on the sex we aspire to have and what it says about the people we aspire to be. I was turned on, yet also encouraged to ponder what turned me on and why, and the part that honesty and self-delusion play in the process.
It’s not what I was expecting when I picked up this book with my left hand, but now that my right hand is stroking my chin, I can’t say I’m ungrateful for the change of plan.
June 29, 2017
This is not a book that I would call a romance or a happily ever after book. This is a book that I would say is a book that lets the reader know what not to do if they want to find that happily ever after in their own life.
Joe is a married man with two almost fully grown children. I wife he married at a young age . And a life hat looks to be perfect when outside looking in but could be no further from the truth. Joe and his wife pretty much only exist in each other's lives. They no longer talk, they no longer have any sort of a relationship. They just pretty much go through the emotions each day but with both members of the marriage completely checking out.
Things start to get extremely complicated for Joe when he injures himself one night at the gtm and a trainer named Adrian helps him out. For the first time in a very long time Joe is aroused and that is because of Adrian. From that moment on it was as if Pandora's box was opened for Joe and it cannot be closed again.
Because of one moment in time for Joe, Joe decides that it is time for him to figure out just who he is. What he likes. Who he wants to be with. What he is looking for. But the path and journey that Joe is about to take is a journey that he will not be able to turn back from. Joe is about to embark on a path that could and most likely will destroy not only him but everyone in his path if Joe does not get it together.
Can Joe figure out what is the right and wrong things to do before everyone he cares for is hurt or will he continue on as nothing is happening?
This was a good read but I truly hope that there will be another book in the future to follow up on this one. I felt there was so many unanswered questions to how things will come to blow for Joe and everyone in his life. It ended quickly and left me wanting more. So I hope that James Lear has plans for a future book with Joe and his family in it. I feel there is so much more to this story. Other than that it was an extremely exciting read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and believe others will also.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Joe is a married man with two almost fully grown children. I wife he married at a young age . And a life hat looks to be perfect when outside looking in but could be no further from the truth. Joe and his wife pretty much only exist in each other's lives. They no longer talk, they no longer have any sort of a relationship. They just pretty much go through the emotions each day but with both members of the marriage completely checking out.
Things start to get extremely complicated for Joe when he injures himself one night at the gtm and a trainer named Adrian helps him out. For the first time in a very long time Joe is aroused and that is because of Adrian. From that moment on it was as if Pandora's box was opened for Joe and it cannot be closed again.
Because of one moment in time for Joe, Joe decides that it is time for him to figure out just who he is. What he likes. Who he wants to be with. What he is looking for. But the path and journey that Joe is about to take is a journey that he will not be able to turn back from. Joe is about to embark on a path that could and most likely will destroy not only him but everyone in his path if Joe does not get it together.
Can Joe figure out what is the right and wrong things to do before everyone he cares for is hurt or will he continue on as nothing is happening?
This was a good read but I truly hope that there will be another book in the future to follow up on this one. I felt there was so many unanswered questions to how things will come to blow for Joe and everyone in his life. It ended quickly and left me wanting more. So I hope that James Lear has plans for a future book with Joe and his family in it. I feel there is so much more to this story. Other than that it was an extremely exciting read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and believe others will also.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
November 24, 2020
It would be easy to dismiss While My Wife's Away as simply another one of those books to be read with one hand. This is after all what the author calling himself James Lear specialises in.
It would be fair to expect only prurient titillation from one such book. And there are indeed numerous graphic sex scenes sprinkled throughout but themes of escapist hedonism, identity, loneliness, and fear of ageing are also given centre stage here.
Through all those sexual encounters, Joe, our not altogether likeable protagonist, embarks on a bruising journey of self-discovery, and when the tentatively happy ending comes (no puns intended), it is clear that he is still only at the very beginning of that journey.
This is the tale of a man experiencing a mid-life crisis like no other; one that reveal to him and forces him to confront the lies he has been telling his family and more importantly himself for the past 25 years. The lies he carries on battling against.
Unfortunately, the story is much too open-ended. It is as if the final section of the story is missing. I would certainly have liked to have been able to travel further along that particular path, in any case, because While My Wife's Away is so much more than mere erotica. In addition to the great writing - the reason I come back to Lear time and again- there is also undeniable depth and not a little poignancy to a book that transcends the genre.
Side note: By London standard, Lear is a neighbour of mine. I know him a little and I know the shower room and the gym where this story begins. I was a member for a few weeks. I don't remember Adrian being on the staff there though, unfortunately. He seems lovely.
It would be fair to expect only prurient titillation from one such book. And there are indeed numerous graphic sex scenes sprinkled throughout but themes of escapist hedonism, identity, loneliness, and fear of ageing are also given centre stage here.
Through all those sexual encounters, Joe, our not altogether likeable protagonist, embarks on a bruising journey of self-discovery, and when the tentatively happy ending comes (no puns intended), it is clear that he is still only at the very beginning of that journey.
This is the tale of a man experiencing a mid-life crisis like no other; one that reveal to him and forces him to confront the lies he has been telling his family and more importantly himself for the past 25 years. The lies he carries on battling against.
Unfortunately, the story is much too open-ended. It is as if the final section of the story is missing. I would certainly have liked to have been able to travel further along that particular path, in any case, because While My Wife's Away is so much more than mere erotica. In addition to the great writing - the reason I come back to Lear time and again- there is also undeniable depth and not a little poignancy to a book that transcends the genre.
Side note: By London standard, Lear is a neighbour of mine. I know him a little and I know the shower room and the gym where this story begins. I was a member for a few weeks. I don't remember Adrian being on the staff there though, unfortunately. He seems lovely.
July 14, 2017
James Lear has done it again! <3
July 21, 2017
A perfect example of gay erotica (one of the hottest I ever read) with a non predictable plot
January 9, 2018
This is an unusual book for erotica. I've read a few of James Lear's books and he always manages to do something a little out of the ordinary. It has a melancholy strain running through it.
May 1, 2018
This book was provided for free by the author and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
This is probably my hardest review I have written for Love Bytes so far!
This book is less of the in-depth erotic look into an average man’s life that was advertised in the blurb and more of a piece of well-written fetish fiction—a fetish for infidelity, for being the “straight” man who likes cock on the side, for being coveted not despite being married but because of it. It’s a specific kink, and if you have it, this will push all the right buttons.
But I definitely don’t have it, which I clearly discovered while reading this book.
You’re probably all thinking, what did you expect? The title of the book clearly states this is about cheating. The author makes no effort to hide or diminish that. My goal this year was to read more books that take me out of my comfort zone. Some have worked for me, some have not. I was drawn to this book because I think LGBT people have a unique history with infidelity. Oftentimes marriage spelled a different kind of fate for gay folks, or gay men and women didn’t realize their sexuality until they were already married. That makes for an incredibly tricky and tenuous subject for fiction, rife with moral grey areas. And I am trying to read more books about finding love in all the wrong places and facing the consequences.
But unfortunately, this isn’t a story about finding peace, love, happiness, acceptance, or clarity. It’s about finding an orgasm. Sex. That’s all. Joe loves sex. He’s good at it. He’s horny all the time and will get it wherever he can. And that’s the story.
Joe is not a sympathetic character, and I’d give anyone who thinks he is the side-eye. He’s whiny, privileged, and cowardly on many levels. He feels entitled to his own pleasure to such a degree that nothing else even comes close. After reading about him for a couple hundred pages, I don’t really know a thing about him—his likes and dislikes, his personality, his character traits. He’s a hollow shell of a character, an attractive man who attracts lots of sexual attention. He’s at times a coquettish submissive, other times a demanding top. He masters oral sex and anal sex with ease and soon teaches others the art. He’s the ultimate gay Casanova, a porn-like dream, yet I can hardly squeeze an ounce of character arc or real emotion out of him.
Don’t get me wrong—I love bad characters. My favorite books are ones that take terrible characters and make us love them. I love anti-heroes and well-written villains. But Joe is none of that. He’s just sex, and that’s it. Even when he tries for something real with a man who might really be good for him, his attempts are feeble at best, falling flat as soon as the next pretty face comes along. His disregard for his wife and children feel almost pathological rather than realistic—there’s a real undercurrent of hatred for his family, which felt very unpleasant. He’s narcissistic, vain, deceitful, and callous.
I hate Joe Heath. I hated every sentence I read about him.
But something kept me from rating this book any lower. I don’t think I’d recommend it. I’m not sure who I’d even be able to recommend it to, besides people with an infidelity kink. But this is a very well-written book that I happened to immensely dislike! The prose flows, the erotica sizzles, and even the total emptiness of Joe as a character gave me a proper pang in my chest—not sympathy, but an aching loneliness, like I can’t imagine a sadder man than Joe Heath.
Fiction is supposed to elicit emotion, right? So, in a way, this book did its job correctly. I’m just not sure how I feel about that yet. And I’m not sure I want to revisit it.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
This is probably my hardest review I have written for Love Bytes so far!
This book is less of the in-depth erotic look into an average man’s life that was advertised in the blurb and more of a piece of well-written fetish fiction—a fetish for infidelity, for being the “straight” man who likes cock on the side, for being coveted not despite being married but because of it. It’s a specific kink, and if you have it, this will push all the right buttons.
But I definitely don’t have it, which I clearly discovered while reading this book.
You’re probably all thinking, what did you expect? The title of the book clearly states this is about cheating. The author makes no effort to hide or diminish that. My goal this year was to read more books that take me out of my comfort zone. Some have worked for me, some have not. I was drawn to this book because I think LGBT people have a unique history with infidelity. Oftentimes marriage spelled a different kind of fate for gay folks, or gay men and women didn’t realize their sexuality until they were already married. That makes for an incredibly tricky and tenuous subject for fiction, rife with moral grey areas. And I am trying to read more books about finding love in all the wrong places and facing the consequences.
But unfortunately, this isn’t a story about finding peace, love, happiness, acceptance, or clarity. It’s about finding an orgasm. Sex. That’s all. Joe loves sex. He’s good at it. He’s horny all the time and will get it wherever he can. And that’s the story.
Joe is not a sympathetic character, and I’d give anyone who thinks he is the side-eye. He’s whiny, privileged, and cowardly on many levels. He feels entitled to his own pleasure to such a degree that nothing else even comes close. After reading about him for a couple hundred pages, I don’t really know a thing about him—his likes and dislikes, his personality, his character traits. He’s a hollow shell of a character, an attractive man who attracts lots of sexual attention. He’s at times a coquettish submissive, other times a demanding top. He masters oral sex and anal sex with ease and soon teaches others the art. He’s the ultimate gay Casanova, a porn-like dream, yet I can hardly squeeze an ounce of character arc or real emotion out of him.
Don’t get me wrong—I love bad characters. My favorite books are ones that take terrible characters and make us love them. I love anti-heroes and well-written villains. But Joe is none of that. He’s just sex, and that’s it. Even when he tries for something real with a man who might really be good for him, his attempts are feeble at best, falling flat as soon as the next pretty face comes along. His disregard for his wife and children feel almost pathological rather than realistic—there’s a real undercurrent of hatred for his family, which felt very unpleasant. He’s narcissistic, vain, deceitful, and callous.
I hate Joe Heath. I hated every sentence I read about him.
But something kept me from rating this book any lower. I don’t think I’d recommend it. I’m not sure who I’d even be able to recommend it to, besides people with an infidelity kink. But this is a very well-written book that I happened to immensely dislike! The prose flows, the erotica sizzles, and even the total emptiness of Joe as a character gave me a proper pang in my chest—not sympathy, but an aching loneliness, like I can’t imagine a sadder man than Joe Heath.
Fiction is supposed to elicit emotion, right? So, in a way, this book did its job correctly. I’m just not sure how I feel about that yet. And I’m not sure I want to revisit it.
April 17, 2019
An Absolute Masterpiece
Wow.
What a brilliant, fantastic book!
This tale is gripping, filled with angst and heartache, and tragedy and sadness....
And debauchery.
This is, admittedly, a story about cheating, but such a relatable story.
So many of us have been there, even though we might not have "done that".
Such a good, good read. Beautifully written. Beautifully detailed with extremely explicit scenes that made me cringe even while feeling such empathy and understanding for this unfortunate man.
True, this story ends on a somewhat abstract note; not even a true HFN, leaving the reader with only a shred of hope that Joe's life will take a turn to a HEA. I certainly hope so. This guy has been through all kinds of emotional and psychological hell.
But this is not a cliffhanger. In fact I'd EVEN go so far as to say that a sequel (for the sake of closure) would be overkill, and probably ruin this stellar book.
So, so well done. I loved it and I lived it for two and a half days, solid.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
STRICTLY ADULTS 18+ ONLY... SERIOUSLY!
Wow.
What a brilliant, fantastic book!
This tale is gripping, filled with angst and heartache, and tragedy and sadness....
And debauchery.
This is, admittedly, a story about cheating, but such a relatable story.
So many of us have been there, even though we might not have "done that".
Such a good, good read. Beautifully written. Beautifully detailed with extremely explicit scenes that made me cringe even while feeling such empathy and understanding for this unfortunate man.
True, this story ends on a somewhat abstract note; not even a true HFN, leaving the reader with only a shred of hope that Joe's life will take a turn to a HEA. I certainly hope so. This guy has been through all kinds of emotional and psychological hell.
But this is not a cliffhanger. In fact I'd EVEN go so far as to say that a sequel (for the sake of closure) would be overkill, and probably ruin this stellar book.
So, so well done. I loved it and I lived it for two and a half days, solid.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
STRICTLY ADULTS 18+ ONLY... SERIOUSLY!
January 12, 2020
Unfortunately I listened to this as an audiobook. The narrator was so terrible that he just ruined this book for me. He reading was monotone and he kept pronouncing words incorrectly. It wasn’t a bad story but I just couldn’t get into it.
August 5, 2017
This was just Ok.
I do wonder about Joe, he was very self destructive. He almost had no concept for his own safety. The sex was hot and that's about it.
I do wonder about Joe, he was very self destructive. He almost had no concept for his own safety. The sex was hot and that's about it.
February 1, 2021
This book will take you in a journey a long with Joe. At the end, it seems to me like the actions of man wanting to die just to feel alive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2019
What to say about this story? I'll start with, this is NOT a romance in any stretch of the imagination. There is no HEA, no HFN, no characters falling in love and nothing soft and cuddly. The main character is a cheater so if that's a trigger for you don't go near this story. He's also a liar, to his family, his friends, his bed partners and in my opinion to himself. I struggled to find anything redeeming about him but there is just a tiny, tiny bit of me that feels sadness for Joe. I can't imagine what it would be like to realize in my forties that my life has been... not a mistake or a lie per se but not what it should have or could have been.
There is a story here but it's hidden in all the sex, it lands somewhere between "too much sex" and "nothing but sex" on my scale of content. I'm not about to knock the author's writing style, it's just fine. I'm sure he wrote Joe's story this way for a reason but for me I'd would have liked more of Joe without the sex even if I didn't get an HEA/HFN ending.
***Triggers*** Cheating, lying, and an MC that at times is not at all likeable.
July 2, 2018
Joe Heath is a 40-something married man with children who discovers that he enjoys sex with other men. He has a sexless marriage and sleeps apart from his wife. He is introduced to man sex before his wife leaves him for another man. The book is about his journey into a same sex relationship. Along the way though, he hooks up with several men for sex. Like other James Lear books, there is plenty of graphic gay male sex scenes.
In the end, Joe is ready to settle into a relationship. His past indiscretions are hanging over him however and hopefully Lear will produce a sequel to follow Joe's new lifestyle.
A good entertaining read and recommended.
In the end, Joe is ready to settle into a relationship. His past indiscretions are hanging over him however and hopefully Lear will produce a sequel to follow Joe's new lifestyle.
A good entertaining read and recommended.
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December 31, 20172017 reading challenge checks the box for 3. A book with a family member term in the title. A wife is a family member, right?
August 26, 2017
I have mixed feelings reading this book. However, I am on a big plus. I.m don't like Joe. I hate him. I would not like to deal with him. And it's ok, that's why I have mixed feelings.
Very good book. Huge admiration for the erotic scenes, amazing!
Very good book. Huge admiration for the erotic scenes, amazing!
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