Reviewed by Cinnamon
TITLE: M4M
SERIES: M4M Book 1-3
AUTHOR: Rick R. Reed
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 200 pages
RELEASE DATE: July 10, 2017
BLURB:
Finding and keeping love can be a challenge in the modern world of blogging, social media, and online dating, as one man will learn in this trilogy.
VGL Male Seeks Same
Poor Ethan Schwartz. At forty-two, he’s alone, his bed is empty, and his HDTV is overworked. He’s tried bars and other places where gay men are supposed to find each other, but it never works out. Maybe he should get a cat?
But his life is about to change…
NEG UB2
Poor Ethan. He’s received the most shocking news a gay man can get—he’s HIV positive. Until today his life was perfect, with a job he loves and Brian, who could be “the one.” The one to complete him and fill his lonely life with laughter, hot sex, and romance.
But Ethan’s in for another shock. Could Brian have infected him?
STATUS UPDATES
Alone again, Ethan wonders if life is worth living, even with a cat. When an old nemesis sends a Facebook friend request, Ethan is suspicious but intrigued. It seems this old acquaintance has turned his life around, and the changes might hold the key to Ethan getting a new lease on life… and love.
Second Edition.
First Edition published with only VGL Male Seeks Same and NEG UB2 by Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure, 2009.
REVIEW:
M4M is a poignant, thought provoking read about a gay man navigating “in the modern world of blogging, social media and online dating”. It contains three short stories that come together in an emotional, heartfelt book. I really enjoyed Ethan’s journey.
I love reading about mature characters so when I saw our main character is 42 as we get to know him, I felt I was in for a treat and I wasn’t disappointed. All three stories give us a glimpse of Ethan Schwartz’s trains of thoughts. We get three episodes from his life, three very different and very difficult times. Ethan’s voice is unique but his story can resonate with thousands maybe millions of people.
We get to know him really well through these episodes. First we get to see his struggles to find a partner for a real, meaningful relationship. This is the part where most people can relate to. I think everyone went through the same feelings Ethan has at one point or another in their lives.
The writing is very powerful and moving with lots of humor and sarcasm woven into the mix to make this read truly enjoyable. We end this part with a gentle smile on our faces.
Said smile is simply erased a few pages later. The second part starts with a huge slap on the face and deals with a very serious, life altering issue with brutal honesty and real, lifelike reactions from Ethan. We get the gentle smile back by the last sentence though.
This one doesn’t last longer than the first one. We get an even bigger slap and I am not sure yet how I feel about this last part. Knowing that Ethan needed this final episode makes me feel good about it though.
Ethan Schwartz is an ordinary guy and I really like him. His inner struggles are eye-opening and thought provoking. Though the first two parts worked the way they were, the last part left me with lots of questions and I would have liked to read more.
Overall, I would say I am glad I picked up this book. It was a memorable read and I hope you enjoy it too!
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: