Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Socks for an Otter

AUTHOR:  Posy Roberts

PUBLISHER:  Boho Press

LENGTH:  270 pages

RELEASE DATE:  December 17, 2019

BLURB:

He fell from his ivory tower and landed in the gutter.

But Sebastian would rather be homeless and hungry than clueless.

On his way to the food pantry, a guy on his cell phone runs into him and triggers his prickly side. As a sign of goodwill, Louis offers to cook for him. But all Sebastian sees is the privilege he used to have.

This isn’t a fairytale. Louis isn’t Prince Charming. And Sebastian can make it on his own.

But it’s been days since he’s had a hot meal. And a blizzard is coming.

Will Sebastian’s pride be his appetizer?

REVIEW:

Sebastian is a guy who has fallen about as far as someone can.  A trust fund baby who did whatever he wanted, letting everyone else clean up his messes suddenly found himself kicked out.  Without access to money, a car, a job, anything, he ends up homeless.  But he decides it’s easier to be homeless in DC that on the Upper East Side.  So it’s complete serendipity that on the evening that he is headed to the food pantry, Louis literally runs into him while talking to his MIL on his mobile phone.  He’s not paying attention because his grief has hit him like a wave once again.  Sebastian makes all sorts of assumptions about Louis and when he then sees him at the Food Pantry, he makes further incorrect assumptions.  But Marvin, the manager, sets him straight about who Louis really is – and so Sebastian prepares to apologize.  He’s in for the surprise of his life when Louis invites him to his home for a hot home cooked meal.  It’s not clear who is more surprised: Louis for making the offer or Sebastian for taking him up on it.  As the evening goes on, it’s clear that Sebastian was completely wrong about Louis and that Louis really does care about the homeless and has done the work to understand issues facing them.

Sebastian doesn’t completely trust Louis – I mean how could he?  Louis doesn’t live on the streets, knows where his next meal is coming from and has a secure home.  Even though he sees that Louis is really trying to understand and his work in policy is focused on making things better and advocating for change, Sebastian is reluctant to believe that he can help in any way.  There is also the little issue of mutual attraction.  Louis has had trouble connecting with people since his family tragedy.  Sebastian is just his type and he can’t help wanting to take care of him even though he knows how skittish Sebastian is and he also doesn’t want him to misconstrue anything as a quid pro quo. It’s clear how much Sebastian’s pride and ability to make it on his own are standing in the way of anything more substantial between them.

When Sebastian is offered a potential job that provides a way to help himself and other homeless folks at the same time that Louis is confronted with the reality of Sebastian’s true circumstances, it appears that all might be lost.  Sebastian is embarrassed and angry and not sure that he can do the job or move off the streets.  Louis does his best to convince Sebastian that he sees him, admires him and desires him.  It’s an amazing story of wooing and trusting and not pushing in to try to save the day.  It’s also a story of forgiveness and reconciliation and growth and acknowledgement.  The resolution was maybe a little easier than anticipated, but still a reasonable outcome.

I was really glad to see a new book from this author.  This book is not a super easy read.  The homelessness crisis that plagues this country is a real black eye on the richest nation on earth.  I worked in DC a decade or more ago and it was a big problem then and it continues to be a huge issue.  I have passed the same homeless man in Chicago when I get off my bus for nearly 12 years.  He’s not there every day.  He used to just sit outside the McDonalds, but now he has a suitcase and a camp chair.  Many people stop to chat with him regularly from my town as we all pass him after getting off our coach.  He’s bipolar and has had issues with his feet over the years.  Honestly I’m in awe that he’s still fighting the good fight.  This story is about someone who is in their first year of homelessness and seems to have avoided some of the worst possible outcomes.  His mental health is still intact.  He’s young and relatively healthy.  It didn’t tear my heart out like A Note in the Margins did when I first read it as it dealt with long term homelessness that had left it’s indelible mark on David.  This book does offer some real insight into ways that chronic homelessness can be addressed and some of the huge hurdles faced by those unable to fine affordable housing.  Both Louis and Sebastian discover a lot about themselves and each other in this story – about what they are willing to do and what they are willing to fight for.  Definitely recommended.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon