Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: The One I Choose
AUTHOR: D.H. Starr
PUBLISHER: Wilde City Press
LENGTH: 90 Pages
BLURB:
Cal and Rhys have been together for three years. Having met and lived together in New York City, their lives were travelling along the same path. That is, until Rhys started working for a jealous chef and got blacklisted in the culinary world of New York City. They move to Boston, Cal using his inheritance to purchase a restaurant for Rhys to get a fresh start. Cal’s biggest challenge is figuring out how to balance work and Rhys. Struggling to make the right choices, will Cal figure out how to accomplish both things without hurting the man he loves?
REVIEW:
I’m not a huge fan of beginning or ending a book with a sex scene, and that’s exactly how this book starts, with some “can’t wait till after we eat” sex on the kitchen floor. However, in this case, I think the author uses it perfectly to highlight just how connected these two men are to each other. Their passionate encounter is littered with tender moments that show knowledge of each other’s preferences and feelings. I read it and instantly thought – wow, these two men are perfectly in love. So when the sex is over, and talk of everyday life begins, the cracks in their not-so-perfect relationship are made glaringly obvious and are all the more saddening because of that contrast.
Actually I felt sad for most of this book. The story continues on in the same vein as it begins. There are flashes of happiness that allow the characters and me to experience some hope and then back to the despondent feelings again.
The book is written in first person, which I know many readers don’t care for but it happens to be my preference. Everything happens from Cal’s point of view but while we may not know exactly what Rhys is thinking, what he’s feeling is more than obvious. What’s not obvious to Cal, is what he needs to do to fix it.
What appealed most to me about this story is that this could be a snippet from almost anybody’s life. There’s no huge crisis or life threatening events just two normal people who have reached a turning point in their relationship and are being forced to question and reevaluate everything they thought they knew about themselves as a couple. Sure, they both start drama queening a few times, which their friend rightfully calls them on, but the swing between guilt and righteous anger was, in my opinion, insightful and realistic. Maybe I relate because unfortunately I’m the same way. I just silently get more angry and upset about things. So while many readers may be cursing at Cal and Rhys and wondering why they don’t simply talk to each other, I’m over here sympathizing and thinking – there’s just no way to fix this! Yes, I often need someone to tell me I’m being a drama queen too.
I have a feeling that some people are likely to disagree with my rating of this book. I think a lot of readers will see Rhys as ungrateful and some will see Cal as a bit of a doormat, constantly feeling the need to apologize and “make it up” to Rhys. But like I said. I can relate and I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into this couple’s life. This was only the second book I’ve read by D.H. Starr but I’ll certainly keep an eye out for more from this author.
RATING: 
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