Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Embracing Change
AUTHOR: A.J. Marcus
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 200 pages
BLURB:
Every day Sam Benito watches his marriage fall apart. He and his husband, Charlie, a New York Times bestselling author, fight constantly, catching their teenage son, Iggy, in the middle. If there’s any love left, it’s hard to find. Charlie, bent on self-destruction, crosses an unspoken line, and Sam realizes it’s time to leave as the man he fell in love with is gone forever.
After leaving his high-powered corporate job years ago, Sam now works at a small feed store in an effort to keep his family together. It’s a job he never thought he would find pleasant, but working with Geary Ellis may have something to do with his job satisfaction.
Charlie digs himself deeper, and Sam is helpless to do anything. Torn between his budding love for Geary and his years with Charlie, Sam finds comfort in Geary’s arms, but it may not be enough to hold him together as Charlie falls apart.
REVIEW:
As I think back on it, it’s been a long while since I’ve actually felt absolutely nothing for a book. I had no connection whatsoever with any of these characters. I don’t know what that means. I know it’s not good but I’m completely at a loss, otherwise. Even Sam and Iggy, who were obviously the victims, I felt nothing for. Also, the cover just made no sense to me. It’s not a bad cover, but in regards to this story where there is ONE sex scene close to the end, and where the majority of the story is supporting a very self destructive spouse, I didn’t get 2 cowboys with no shirts on.
Sam Benito is in a very dysfunctional relationship. He married his partner Charlie many years ago because he had stars in his eyes. In his teens Sam knocked up his high school girlfriend and she never wanted kids. He’s been a single father his whole life so when he met Charlie in college he thought it was a blessing. Charlie was a writer who had several best sellers. He wanted Sam but wanted everything and everyone else too. Sam agreed to an open marriage because that’s what Charlie wanted. For over 15 years and raising a child, Sam stays with Charlie and is miserable a good 95% of the time so it seems.
I’m pretty sure one thing you guys will not need reiterated is just how awful Charlie is…its bad, really bad. And maybe what’s worse is the fact that Sam not only allows it, he initially agreed to it, WHAT?!?!?
Geary just landed a job at the local feed store. He’s at a time in his life where he wants more than just quick hook ups and one night stands. He finds himself attracted to his coworker, Sam but knows Sam’s current situation so he knows that’s off the table, for now.
This relationship was at a very low simmer basically the whole book. I didn’t understand any of it. I was frustrated and irritated reading this whole book so I’m sure that leaked into any good that there may have been.
There’s a lot of drama, characters trying to make amends for years of abuse, murder, and reckless behavior. This was just not the book for me, at all.
RATING: 
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