Tomorrow’s Gifts by Lisabet Sarai

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Michael and Neil are apparently a perfect couple, but there are a lot of things twirling in Michael's mind. He doesn't like the city in which they live, that forces them to behave as roommates and not as lovers when they are in the open; he doesn't like the cold weather that always forced them to stay inside during the long winter... but above all he doesn't like the vanilla relationship he has with Neil. Oh, he likes Neil, he is a very gentle and caring boyfriend, always trying to understand Michael's desires, but not understanding at all that Michael wants and needs to be dominate. Probably Neil is worried since he is a lot stronger than Michael, and he fears to not be able to stay in control if things go wild.

Then on Christmas Eve Michael receives the visit for a ghost of the Christmas future, a man who claims to be Michael's future lover, his Master. Thorne, the spirit, shows to Michael how is live can be if he dumps Neil: a full D/s relationship, a life as slave of a very wealthy man, parties and travel all around the country. Michael is thrilled to see all his desire fullfilled, and he enjoys it all even if he realizes that Thorne's love is not gentle and caring as Neil's was. Thorne is not really trying to fulfill Michael's desires, he is only enjoying his life and if Michael likes it, he is allowed to share with Thorne.

I believe that the meaning of the book is to show that a D/s relationship without deep love and trust is only a show, and not really a relationship. Thorne and Michael don't have a real bond, Michael is almost a convenience and like him everyone could be at Thorne's side. Instead if he has the courage to speak with Neil, and unveils his hidden desires, he can have something special with the man he loves.

There is a lot of sex in this story, and I don't like the sex between Thorne and Michael: it's cold and detached; probably this is exactly what the author wants to convey and probably I would accept that if Michael's final decision was taken only out of his love for Neil. And instead, in a way, the decision was taken from him, letting him with only an obvious right choice... he would be really stupid if he did something different.

http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s=fmjmjb640877&strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=393

Amazon Kindle: Christmas Spirits: Tomorrow's Gifts
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing (December 8, 2008)

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle


Cover Art by April Martinez