Anya is an under-employed accountant trying to dodge MS flareups and keep her husband's painkiller addiction under control. Ian, her unscrupulous chiropractor, introduces her to the informal economy of Wilmington, North Carolina where she finds cheap pills and a way out of the poverty she's unexpectedly found herself in.
If I am not wrong this is my third book by this author. And like the other two, this one left me pixelated. But in a very different way. I have to say, Steven Specht does not stick to one genre or trope. I can't admire that enough. The only thing common in all his work is that there is a mention of one of the characters serving in marines. That is where the commonality ends.
This story left me goggle-eyed as it unfolded one chapter at a time. All the openness and kinks were way out there but from the point of view of a woman that came out as very identifiable. She ventures out and does what it takes to stay afloat in life. I thoroughly enjoyed the lists she had for all her sexual encounters. And all the details were enlightening. For example, I learned what women mean when they say they like it big. LOL! Even I didn't know that, but I utterly agree with the author's explanation.
The cover has a dated feel with a highly modern title. If this doesn't say anything about the author's idiosyncrasy than I don't know what does.
This is a very unusual narration and feels like a glimpse into a promiscuous female. But if one dares to see past that, you will see how resilient she is and how she could see the humor (unknowingly) in the dire life that she was living. Money is a necessary evil, and Anya was eviler but a dedicated wife.
Do you know Anya? Anya is a no-nonsense woman who will judge you harshly yet fairly and probably be right. Not in a mean sense, mind you. She's as lucid as the first sober morning after college. It's true that reading this book feels like drinking a strong coffee. After a few pages, I find myself thinking like Anya.
Specht is so good at documenting real-life that when he writes fiction, you end up thinking you're reading about real people. I found myself thinking about the main character's husband as a person wronged by the pharmaceutical industry, and felt somehow angry. While walking to work, and thinking about life. Until I remembered "wait, he's not real".
The dialogues are witty, snarky, and to the point. A great read, that grabs the idea of romance by the collar and sends it home with a mean reality check. But it's still a love story.
Definitely an interesting story. Not totally even sure what I read there.
I also wasn’t at all sure what I was getting myself into. It looked like it was going to be related to pride and prejudice, kind of like the zombie adaptation from years back, but no, not at all. Totally different story.
Good writer, decent story development. All in all, four stars
This book is very well written and the storyline is gripping. It is not what I expected from the cover but I am not disappointed! I will most definately look for more by this author