Self Preservation by Ethan Day

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Lately it seems that I read a lot of books that have a starting point similar to an Hollywood comedy movie, but since I love comedy, for me it's not at all a problem. And then some comedy I love more than others, like My Best Friend's Wedding, and not since I like Julia Roberts, but since I LOVE Rupert Everett, you can don't believe me, but I liked him even before is coming out, when he was a young actor in an old Italian movie, Cronaca di una morte annunciata.

Anyway in this story Davis is the classical good boy next door: gay and shy, he arrived at College still a blushing virgin and he was obviously swept away from the first good looking guy with enough patience to see behind his protective shield. Jack actually was not a bad guy, and he really liked Davis, and so, after deflowering the virgin, he also played the role of perfect boyfriend for four years, since the lights of New York called him, and he left without a good reason. Davis, poor guy, still loves him, and he has always hoped that, sooner or later, Jack will see a different light and realize that his true love is back at home. So when Davis receives a phone call from Jack announcing that he is marrying a man he met only two weeks before, Davis is sure that he is doing a big mistake and that he has to do everything to stop him. With his best girl friend in tow, he goes to Chicago with every intention to break Jack up from his future groom, Tadd.

Problem is that Tadd is every bit the perfect man, and Davis has no many chance to succeeded. But an help arrives from Alex, Tadd's best friend: Alex has his own reason to want to test Jack's love for Tadd, and then, it's not an hard work to feign interest in Davis, since the man is really cute.

It's the classical comedy of mistake, and also a whirl of possible pair: Davis-Jack, Jack-Tadd, Davis-Alex, Alex... well I need to leave a bit of mystery, needn't I? But even if there are different interaction between the men, the author manages to never actually making no one cheats on someone else: using different time level, all the possible couple are tested to allow the reader to see how they are together, but in the end, only the real one, the true love will conquer all.

I like the mix of high society party world with the small town tittle-tattle behavior of all the characters: even if Davis is plotting to do a very nasty thing, he never really behaves as a villain, and all his attempts are more funny than dangerous. In a way Davis is still that eighteen years old virgin boy who was starstruck by friendly and handsome Jack; doesn't matter if he left 6 years before, Davis is still waiting at home like a good little wife for her husband to be back home after playing around. Probably if Jack was a really bad man, the reader would have no doubt to whom Davis should choice, but instead Jack is really a good guy, maybe a bit selfish, but not so much to make him a nasty character. And so the reader has the same problem as Davis, he is unable to letting Jack go toward his new path.

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Comments

Thanks from Ethan

[ethandayonline.livejournal.com]

Elisa, thank you for reviewing Self Preservation and for the kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to read my work and I'm beyond flattered that you enjoyed the book.

Thanks again,

Ethan Day

Re: Thanks from Ethan

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

You are welcome Ethan, it was a really enjoyable reading and I will look forward to your next works. Elisa