Jen's Review: The Man I Love by Suanne Laqueur
Author Provided Copy
Publisher: Cathedral Rock Pres
Released: June 16, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Length: 1,590 Pages
Format: eBook, Paperback
Buy Links:
Amazon| Amazon Print | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis
Winner of the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award, Suanne Laqueur's astonishing debut novel follows a young man's emotional journey to salvage relationships destroyed in the wake of a school shooting. As a college freshman, Erik Fiskare is drawn to the world of theater but prefers backstage to center stage. The moment he lays eyes on a beautiful, accomplished dancer named Daisy Bianco, his atoms rearrange themselves and he is drawn into a romance both youthfully passionate and maturely soulful. Their love story thrives within a tight-knit circle of friends, all bound by creativity and artistry. A newcomer arrives--a brilliant but erratic dancer with an unquenchable thirst for connection. And when this disturbed friend brings a gun into the theater, the story is forever changed. Daisy is shot and left seriously injured. And Erik finds himself alone in the aisle, looking down the muzzle of a pistol and trying to stop the madness. He succeeds, but with tremendous repercussions to his well-being and that of his loved ones. Traumatized by the experience, the lovers spiral into depression and drug use until a shocking act of betrayal destroys their relationship. To survive, Erik must leave school and disconnect from all he loves. He buries his heartbreak and puts the past behind. Or so he believes. As he moves into adulthood, Erik comes to grips with his role in the shooting, and slowly heals the most wounded parts of his soul. But the unresolved grief for Daisy continues to shape his dreams at night. Once those dreams were haunted by blood and gunfire. Now they are haunted by the refrain of a Gershwin song and a single question: is leaving always the end of loving? Spanning 15 years, The Man I Love explores themes of love and sexuality, trauma—physical and mental—and its long-lasting effects, the burden of unfinished business and the power of reconciliation. Through Erik’s experience we reflect on what it means to be a man, a son and a leader. A soul mate, a partner and a lover. What it means to live the truth of who you are and what you feel. What it means to fight for what you love.
Review - 5 Stars
I was provided a copy of The Man I love in exchange for an honest review.
In the beginning this book was kind of boring to me, not being exactly my cup of tea. I know nothing about ballet really and the terms and the descriptions were lost on me and I was getting bored.
Then something happened, a tragedy struck and my eyes opened. I realized all that stuff had to be placed there to really understand the characters. The characters!! I feel like I knew these people, their tragedy was my tragedy. It opened up things inside of me that I myself had suppressed over time.
This story felt real to me. I then went on to devour it and in the end there was happiness. Which surprised me. I just knew this author was going to leave us dangling and that Erik was going to be lonely forever and he would never find Daisy again and my heart broke over and over in this story.
It has been quite a long time since a story has moved me to absolute tears. I loved it and hated it all at the same time just to come back and find that love again, just like Erik and Daisy. I sing the praise of "The Man I love" I would read this book again and again.