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The Rare Event
Hedge fund trader Ricky Santeramo has it money, looks, and fellow trader Jonathan Hogenboom. The two couldn't be more Jon is from old money, while Ricky clawed his way out of blue-collar New Jersey. Jon hedges his positions; Ricky goes for broke. Jon likes opera and the Yankees; Ricky prefers clubbing. Jon drinks wine with dinner; Ricky throws back a beer. Jon wants monogamy… but Ricky likes variety.
Bankrupt airlines are facing strikes, the housing market is starting to crumble, and Jon can’t wait any longer for Ricky to commit. One last night alone and one last risky trade make Jon say, “Enough.” Then Jon’s old friend Davis comes to New York City, ready for baseball and forever. The whole world is chaos, but there are fortunes to be made—or lost—and hearts to be broken—or won.
Faced with losing it all, Ricky must make the savviest trades of his life and pray for a rare event. His portfolio and Jon's love are on the line.
Bankrupt airlines are facing strikes, the housing market is starting to crumble, and Jon can’t wait any longer for Ricky to commit. One last night alone and one last risky trade make Jon say, “Enough.” Then Jon’s old friend Davis comes to New York City, ready for baseball and forever. The whole world is chaos, but there are fortunes to be made—or lost—and hearts to be broken—or won.
Faced with losing it all, Ricky must make the savviest trades of his life and pray for a rare event. His portfolio and Jon's love are on the line.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
P.D. Singer
59 books172 followersP.D. Singer lived in Colorado with her slightly bemused husband, one young adult, and seventy-nine pounds of pets. She was a big believer in research, first-hand if possible, so the reader can be quite certain PD skied down a mountain face-first, had been stepped on by rodeo horses, acquired a potato burn or two, and rethought a novel that included sky-diving.
When not writing, playing her fiddle, or walking the sheddiest member of the family, she could be found with a book in hand.
When not writing, playing her fiddle, or walking the sheddiest member of the family, she could be found with a book in hand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 1, 2012
I kept thinking of mirrors when I read this book. The funhouse mirror through which Jon saw himself with its skewed view of imperfections that chipped at his image of Self and contributed to the way he allowed his relationship to keep him in a place that prevented growth and a clear self-image. The convex mirror through which Ricky saw himself that allowed him to see himself as larger-than-life and not susceptible to the trials and pitfalls of 'normal humans'.
The too-accurate mirror that reflects world events and how they happened, while the reader is sitting there, helpless to do anything but watch.
I found the world in which these people lived and the events in which they participated to be fascinating and enormously educational. The world itself was almost another character--fully realized and complex and engaging. I was just as interested in how their trade deals would pan out as I was in the events of the relationships. I knew nothing about the trading world when I walked into this story, and through the exposition and natural progressions, I emerged having a better idea of how the financial crisis of 2009 came about. And I have a whole new appreciation for those who saw it coming, cried their warnings, and then had to sit there and watch it all fall apart.
And again, the events in the central relationship mirrored the events happening in the world around the characters, to superb effect. I can only hope the world comes out of it with as optimistic a forecast as Jon and Ricky did.
Informative and highly engaging. I rooted for people I never would have thought I'd root for, and I came out of this story a little smarter than when I went in. It engaged my mind as well as my heart, and that's just... I mean, really--how often does that happen?
The too-accurate mirror that reflects world events and how they happened, while the reader is sitting there, helpless to do anything but watch.
I found the world in which these people lived and the events in which they participated to be fascinating and enormously educational. The world itself was almost another character--fully realized and complex and engaging. I was just as interested in how their trade deals would pan out as I was in the events of the relationships. I knew nothing about the trading world when I walked into this story, and through the exposition and natural progressions, I emerged having a better idea of how the financial crisis of 2009 came about. And I have a whole new appreciation for those who saw it coming, cried their warnings, and then had to sit there and watch it all fall apart.
And again, the events in the central relationship mirrored the events happening in the world around the characters, to superb effect. I can only hope the world comes out of it with as optimistic a forecast as Jon and Ricky did.
Informative and highly engaging. I rooted for people I never would have thought I'd root for, and I came out of this story a little smarter than when I went in. It engaged my mind as well as my heart, and that's just... I mean, really--how often does that happen?
April 1, 2012
Very good m/m romance about two radically different hedge fund traders before the subprime mortgage meltdown: one takes too many risks in both his personal and professional lives, while the other is far more careful in both. He finally realizes that loving the risktaker, who scoffs at monogamy, is tearing him apart... The heavy focus on the stock market and stock trading details very nearly lost me in the early part of the book, but I persevered and got sucked into the rest of the story.
did-not-finish
April 25, 2024DNF @ 12%. No rating.
I adore a lot of this author's work so this is one of the very rare cases where I gave a book another shot but unfortunately, I ended up DNFing it for the second time. It's me, not the book.
This author goes all in when she creates certain professions for her characters and completely immerses you in that career. While I loved learning in-depth things about professional cycling (Spokes) and professional scuba diving (Diving Deep), this book focuses on financial stock trading and I couldn't get into it. In both Spokes and Diving Deep, the author found discreet ways to explain things to readers without it coming across as info dumping but that wasn't the case here. The conversations are full of financial lingo and financial concepts and I didn't understand any of it and I also didn't care. It's unfortunate because Spokes and Diving Deep are some of my favorite books of all time but I can't get through this one.
I adore a lot of this author's work so this is one of the very rare cases where I gave a book another shot but unfortunately, I ended up DNFing it for the second time. It's me, not the book.
This author goes all in when she creates certain professions for her characters and completely immerses you in that career. While I loved learning in-depth things about professional cycling (Spokes) and professional scuba diving (Diving Deep), this book focuses on financial stock trading and I couldn't get into it. In both Spokes and Diving Deep, the author found discreet ways to explain things to readers without it coming across as info dumping but that wasn't the case here. The conversations are full of financial lingo and financial concepts and I didn't understand any of it and I also didn't care. It's unfortunate because Spokes and Diving Deep are some of my favorite books of all time but I can't get through this one.
April 2, 2012
An engaging, informative look at Wall Street and the fortunes made and lost there. I must admit that I only had a vague idea about how the housing market took a plunge, and walked away from The Rare Event with a much greater knowledge of financial matters.
Others may not agree with me, but I saw roving Ricky as a very sympathetic character, with his outward swagger but inward self doubts and helplessness when it came to his horrifying boss. He doesn't mean to hurt anyone, and in the end, it's he himself that he hurts most. Deep inside his life-of-the-party persona in a good man who just needs a little help getting out. He doesn't know Jon loves him, and deep down, I don't think he found himself worthy of the hereditarily weathly fellow trader.
I felt for Jon, who wanted more than Ricky could give, and the lengths he went to to keep the man out of trouble. In the end, he opened his hand and let Ricky go, though he still kept a watchful eye from a distance.
This book has it all, a well-researched, well-thought out plot, an entire cast of interesting characters and, at it's center, a good old fashioned boy-loses-boy, boy-struggles-desperately-to-get-boy-back love story. And I am sucker for tales of redemption.
Ricky needed to grow up, Jon gave him space to let him, and in the end, Ricky did the right thing.
I seem to recall a recent headline story about a similar organization facing several sexual harassment suits, so the subplot in the book is very timely and relevant. Very highly recommended.
Others may not agree with me, but I saw roving Ricky as a very sympathetic character, with his outward swagger but inward self doubts and helplessness when it came to his horrifying boss. He doesn't mean to hurt anyone, and in the end, it's he himself that he hurts most. Deep inside his life-of-the-party persona in a good man who just needs a little help getting out. He doesn't know Jon loves him, and deep down, I don't think he found himself worthy of the hereditarily weathly fellow trader.
I felt for Jon, who wanted more than Ricky could give, and the lengths he went to to keep the man out of trouble. In the end, he opened his hand and let Ricky go, though he still kept a watchful eye from a distance.
This book has it all, a well-researched, well-thought out plot, an entire cast of interesting characters and, at it's center, a good old fashioned boy-loses-boy, boy-struggles-desperately-to-get-boy-back love story. And I am sucker for tales of redemption.
Ricky needed to grow up, Jon gave him space to let him, and in the end, Ricky did the right thing.
I seem to recall a recent headline story about a similar organization facing several sexual harassment suits, so the subplot in the book is very timely and relevant. Very highly recommended.
April 29, 2012
3.5
This is another one of those books that you will either love or hate. It's taken me some time to really decide where I fall with this book.
The opening of the book almost had me stopping right away because I thought it was just going to be superficial sex throughout the book, but you have to keep reading to really begin to see the emotions hidden under the layers.
Ricky is someone that just made me shudder throughout the beginning of the book and that I really began to feel sympathetic towards after seeing him take a look at the realities of his life and final decide what living really is.
Jon was always so much the victim that I wanted to shake him, but again, I really liked seeing him take hold of his life and choices and quit being the victim.
There was a lot of growth in this book and that is what kept me reading...yes, the choices had me cringing throughout the book, but I could see baby steps being made.
The fast pace of their trading profession added a hectic ambiance to the story that made the frantic manner of their choices and relationship tangible. Admitedly, the trading language did go over my head many times.
A solid good read, that kept me turning the pages...but I don't think that this book is for everyone (open relationship, doormat issues, and too much information about trading).
This is another one of those books that you will either love or hate. It's taken me some time to really decide where I fall with this book.
The opening of the book almost had me stopping right away because I thought it was just going to be superficial sex throughout the book, but you have to keep reading to really begin to see the emotions hidden under the layers.
Ricky is someone that just made me shudder throughout the beginning of the book and that I really began to feel sympathetic towards after seeing him take a look at the realities of his life and final decide what living really is.
Jon was always so much the victim that I wanted to shake him, but again, I really liked seeing him take hold of his life and choices and quit being the victim.
There was a lot of growth in this book and that is what kept me reading...yes, the choices had me cringing throughout the book, but I could see baby steps being made.
The fast pace of their trading profession added a hectic ambiance to the story that made the frantic manner of their choices and relationship tangible. Admitedly, the trading language did go over my head many times.
A solid good read, that kept me turning the pages...but I don't think that this book is for everyone (open relationship, doormat issues, and too much information about trading).
May 24, 2012
“Not committed yet” and cheating aren’t the same, and if you can’t see a difference, don’t even pick up this book. You’ll only be unhappy with Ricky, who hasn’t moved past the dating stage even though Jon is ready and anxious for them to be exclusive. PD Singer has started in the middle of the story in The Rare Event, and a jam packed story it is.
Ricky and Jon work together in a hedge fund with a tainted reputation. Their boss Edgar is a social pariah for good reason, and hires his staff from the fringes of the financial world, even if they are smart and talented. Whether they didn’t go to top tier schools, or have some scandal in their past, if they can’t make it here, they might as well go work for a bank in Syracuse because the rest of Wall Street won’t touch them. And if they fight Edgar, they’d better be ready to leave. He seems over the top, but once I read the news reports about the sex scandals at the International Monetary Fund, it’s more art imitating life. It’s not just the mortgage crisis that was ripped from the headlines into the fabric of this book.
Both Ricky and Jon would love to find some leverage against the old monster but fear of what he’ll do to get even deters them. In the meantime, they’ve got to make some money in between trips to Fire Island and trying to sort out whether or not Ricky is ever going to commit to Jon. Each of them have their own sorrows, and what makes each of them tick is gradually revealed. Some of it is heartbreaking—I wanted to hunt down one character and punch his nose, but even he comes to understand where he went wrong. There is no easy forgiveness for such a terrible wrong, and the book doesn’t cheapen either the apology or the reaction by reaching for it.
Jon finally decides that he can’t wait any longer for Ricky to make up his mind because the waiting hurts too much. That’s one rare event Ricky didn’t see coming, and he misses the signs on another, but in his defense, Wall Street missed the signs too in real life. So he has two disasters on his doorstep, and now Davis, someone Jon’s known a long time, is in the picture and hoping Jon is interested, as in forever, now, please, interested, and the best he gets is baseball games. Ricky can only grit his teeth and watch, and endure the baseball, which he thinks is like watching paint dry.
Ricky ends up finding out what is really important to him, with Jon, with his honor, and with his career. Ms Singer takes everything away from him before giving him anything back at all because he has to grow into being worthy of Jon, who also grows into more self-confidence.
Watch for PD Singer’s trademark secondary romance in the background. It’s kind of cute, and another character desperately needs a story of his own. The other secondary characters are well-rounded and vivid; the action on the trading floor is wild and the sums of money involved are enormous but true. There’s a glossary in the back that explains enough of the technical stuff for us to keep up with the stock market scenes, and if you just read it as yeah, they know what they’re doing, it’s still exciting, and sexy. As Ricky says about misbehaving at the office, “I reserve the right to one kiss for every fifty thousand dollars. Another nineteen million dollar day could test my resolve.” The story is very plotty, and it all ties in with the romance.
The underlying idea here is separating value from price, and about finding out what’s really important to you. Ricky comes to understand what he should treasure, and becomes a far better man in the process. This book is truly a Rare Event.
Ricky and Jon work together in a hedge fund with a tainted reputation. Their boss Edgar is a social pariah for good reason, and hires his staff from the fringes of the financial world, even if they are smart and talented. Whether they didn’t go to top tier schools, or have some scandal in their past, if they can’t make it here, they might as well go work for a bank in Syracuse because the rest of Wall Street won’t touch them. And if they fight Edgar, they’d better be ready to leave. He seems over the top, but once I read the news reports about the sex scandals at the International Monetary Fund, it’s more art imitating life. It’s not just the mortgage crisis that was ripped from the headlines into the fabric of this book.
Both Ricky and Jon would love to find some leverage against the old monster but fear of what he’ll do to get even deters them. In the meantime, they’ve got to make some money in between trips to Fire Island and trying to sort out whether or not Ricky is ever going to commit to Jon. Each of them have their own sorrows, and what makes each of them tick is gradually revealed. Some of it is heartbreaking—I wanted to hunt down one character and punch his nose, but even he comes to understand where he went wrong. There is no easy forgiveness for such a terrible wrong, and the book doesn’t cheapen either the apology or the reaction by reaching for it.
Jon finally decides that he can’t wait any longer for Ricky to make up his mind because the waiting hurts too much. That’s one rare event Ricky didn’t see coming, and he misses the signs on another, but in his defense, Wall Street missed the signs too in real life. So he has two disasters on his doorstep, and now Davis, someone Jon’s known a long time, is in the picture and hoping Jon is interested, as in forever, now, please, interested, and the best he gets is baseball games. Ricky can only grit his teeth and watch, and endure the baseball, which he thinks is like watching paint dry.
Ricky ends up finding out what is really important to him, with Jon, with his honor, and with his career. Ms Singer takes everything away from him before giving him anything back at all because he has to grow into being worthy of Jon, who also grows into more self-confidence.
Watch for PD Singer’s trademark secondary romance in the background. It’s kind of cute, and another character desperately needs a story of his own. The other secondary characters are well-rounded and vivid; the action on the trading floor is wild and the sums of money involved are enormous but true. There’s a glossary in the back that explains enough of the technical stuff for us to keep up with the stock market scenes, and if you just read it as yeah, they know what they’re doing, it’s still exciting, and sexy. As Ricky says about misbehaving at the office, “I reserve the right to one kiss for every fifty thousand dollars. Another nineteen million dollar day could test my resolve.” The story is very plotty, and it all ties in with the romance.
The underlying idea here is separating value from price, and about finding out what’s really important to you. Ricky comes to understand what he should treasure, and becomes a far better man in the process. This book is truly a Rare Event.
September 13, 2013
Probably doesn't deserve a 5 (perhaps a 4.25), but I had a happy feeling for a while after reading this one.
Being a Cover whore again.
Although the reading felt choppy and confusing for me in the beginning this didn't last very long, later the pace was excellent and I couldn't stop reading. Note a Very Slow Start.
Ricky and Jon are at odds, one wanting monogamy and the other playing the field. This leads to conflict and the eventual break-up. It hard not to break-up if you don't agree on the major issues.
Ricky calling him pal was a perfect example about his opinion about the relationship. (I liked the fact that he wouldn't go without a condom)
I lived how many aspects of their personality clashed yet they fit so well together.
We get introduced to so many characters that we learn about, but their are questions left unanswered.
For some readers the trading descriptions can become tedious and dragging, but since this is close to what I'm studying it didn't bother me at all.
Observation that contains spoilers:
Jon finally gets fed-up and leaves Ricky, this made me like the MC since he finally made a decision instead of complaining about it. I loved that there was no ultimatums! (I felt for Jon, everybody thinking he is a cheater when he is the most committed person)
Ricky finally gets to experience how it feels to be on the other side of the equation when Jon suddenly has not one but two potential suitors, one offering everything Ricky was unable to give Jon. Ricky has some growing up to do, he does not take the break-up well and goes back to his slutty behavior. Except he starts realizing how unsatisfying this is. (Can't believe he believed that his club friends vared for anything else besides his money)
I absolutely loved that are MC had to work for forgiveness, he had to prove time and time again that he was willing to change the arrangement of their relationship. And damn his jealousy was cute when he stole the flowers and gave them to Kate.
What's up with Ricky and his Mom?
The side plot kept me hanging on, I couldn't understand what happened. I was wondering if Sebastian had feelings for Jon. Although Sebastian was an ass for not giving his friend time to explain I find his actions realistic and totally understandable. I wonder how his conversation with Cameron went down? (Although I do feel their could have been a better resolution here).
I would have liked a final conversation where Jon broke things off with Davis! I enjoyed that the author didn't find some other mysterious love interest for Davis, sometimes a story works better if everybody doesn't get their happy ending. (Hoping he has his own story, and can finally move on.)
We had a awesome bad guy, although his sexual harassment wouldn't happen in real life we at least got a semi-reasonable explanation. Can't believe his wive took him back, why?
Sometimes Rare Events do Happen
Being a Cover whore again.
Although the reading felt choppy and confusing for me in the beginning this didn't last very long, later the pace was excellent and I couldn't stop reading. Note a Very Slow Start.
Ricky and Jon are at odds, one wanting monogamy and the other playing the field. This leads to conflict and the eventual break-up. It hard not to break-up if you don't agree on the major issues.
Ricky calling him pal was a perfect example about his opinion about the relationship. (I liked the fact that he wouldn't go without a condom)
I lived how many aspects of their personality clashed yet they fit so well together.
We get introduced to so many characters that we learn about, but their are questions left unanswered.
For some readers the trading descriptions can become tedious and dragging, but since this is close to what I'm studying it didn't bother me at all.
Observation that contains spoilers:
Jon finally gets fed-up and leaves Ricky, this made me like the MC since he finally made a decision instead of complaining about it. I loved that there was no ultimatums! (I felt for Jon, everybody thinking he is a cheater when he is the most committed person)
Ricky finally gets to experience how it feels to be on the other side of the equation when Jon suddenly has not one but two potential suitors, one offering everything Ricky was unable to give Jon. Ricky has some growing up to do, he does not take the break-up well and goes back to his slutty behavior. Except he starts realizing how unsatisfying this is. (Can't believe he believed that his club friends vared for anything else besides his money)
I absolutely loved that are MC had to work for forgiveness, he had to prove time and time again that he was willing to change the arrangement of their relationship. And damn his jealousy was cute when he stole the flowers and gave them to Kate.
What's up with Ricky and his Mom?
The side plot kept me hanging on, I couldn't understand what happened. I was wondering if Sebastian had feelings for Jon. Although Sebastian was an ass for not giving his friend time to explain I find his actions realistic and totally understandable. I wonder how his conversation with Cameron went down? (Although I do feel their could have been a better resolution here).
I would have liked a final conversation where Jon broke things off with Davis! I enjoyed that the author didn't find some other mysterious love interest for Davis, sometimes a story works better if everybody doesn't get their happy ending. (Hoping he has his own story, and can finally move on.)
We had a awesome bad guy, although his sexual harassment wouldn't happen in real life we at least got a semi-reasonable explanation. Can't believe his wive took him back, why?
Sometimes Rare Events do Happen
March 13, 2017
It took me a few months to read this book, which for me is actually a good thing -- I have a tendency to read books so fast that I don't remember them a few days later unless there was something I REALLY loved. The fact that this book held my interest for that long, that I was able to read it in spare moments here and there, shows how much it actually kept me involved.
It centers around an established (well, kinda) couple, Jonathan Hogenboom, and Ricky Santeramo. They are both senior traders at a hedge fund. There is A LOT of detail about the market, and how the trades worked, and I admit that quite a bit of it went over my head, but it was still understandable, even if it made the book drag a bit. Knowing the details was necessary for the author to highlight the differences between the two men's temperament and personality: Jonathan is more cautious, willing to forego huge returns in order to decrease risk, and in his personal life he is looking for a stable relationship; Ricky is always looking for excitement, for the next big thing in the market, and in his promiscuous sexual life.
As stated in the blurb, Jonathan eventually has had enough of the way Ricky treats their relationship as open, and his apparent lack of desire to commit in any real way to Jon. Jon is no doormat, but he's been faithful for almost two years, and when he sees Ricky's behavior becoming increasingly risky -- professional and personal -- he walks away. It is only then that Ricky realizes what he's been taking for granted all along, and he has a lot of maturing to do if he wants to prove to Jon that he deserves a second chance.
Most romances highlight how the characters get together, and unless they are part of a series, the story usually ends shortly thereafter. I loved that this book picks up shortly before a major breakup, and a good part of the story is how they get back together. There was also the tension of watching the traders get involved in sub-prime mortgage lenders -- since we all know how that turned out! -- and I was internally biting my nails waiting for the market to crash.
I was a little put off by the sexual escapades of all of the traders and staff -- the executive lounge had a couch specifically for them to have sex when celebrating a big gain, and low ranking staff had to buy the condoms -- and also by the blatant sexual harassment from one of the owners of the fund. In the end, I could see why the author set it up that way, but it seemed unrealistic and seedy to me.
It centers around an established (well, kinda) couple, Jonathan Hogenboom, and Ricky Santeramo. They are both senior traders at a hedge fund. There is A LOT of detail about the market, and how the trades worked, and I admit that quite a bit of it went over my head, but it was still understandable, even if it made the book drag a bit. Knowing the details was necessary for the author to highlight the differences between the two men's temperament and personality: Jonathan is more cautious, willing to forego huge returns in order to decrease risk, and in his personal life he is looking for a stable relationship; Ricky is always looking for excitement, for the next big thing in the market, and in his promiscuous sexual life.
As stated in the blurb, Jonathan eventually has had enough of the way Ricky treats their relationship as open, and his apparent lack of desire to commit in any real way to Jon. Jon is no doormat, but he's been faithful for almost two years, and when he sees Ricky's behavior becoming increasingly risky -- professional and personal -- he walks away. It is only then that Ricky realizes what he's been taking for granted all along, and he has a lot of maturing to do if he wants to prove to Jon that he deserves a second chance.
Most romances highlight how the characters get together, and unless they are part of a series, the story usually ends shortly thereafter. I loved that this book picks up shortly before a major breakup, and a good part of the story is how they get back together. There was also the tension of watching the traders get involved in sub-prime mortgage lenders -- since we all know how that turned out! -- and I was internally biting my nails waiting for the market to crash.
I was a little put off by the sexual escapades of all of the traders and staff -- the executive lounge had a couch specifically for them to have sex when celebrating a big gain, and low ranking staff had to buy the condoms -- and also by the blatant sexual harassment from one of the owners of the fund. In the end, I could see why the author set it up that way, but it seemed unrealistic and seedy to me.
July 28, 2012
It may come as a surprise to some who know me that I loved this male/male (m/m) romance. Indeed, it came as a surprise to me! But I did... and I think I know why. In fact, the author herself -- yes, PD Singer is a woman, and heterosexual at that -- helped me understand why.
I came across this book on the Savvy Authors website (www.savvyauthors.com) and was intrigued because I write and edit for an LGBT-focused webzine, "10,000 Couples" (http://10thousandcouples.com). I reached out to PD Singer to request an interview, during which she shared that she enjoys reading sexy romance novels (come on, admit it, you do too!) but gets fed up (my wording, there and following) with the conventional male/female role stereotypes. You know... how the woman is always, in some way, even now, the "damsel in distress" whose life finally comes together (no matter how "together" it actually was in the first place) when she hooks up with "the man of her dreams." When a friend recommended that PD (her given name is Pam) read m/m romance, she tried it and found that she liked it! In fact, she liked it so much, she decided to write some herself!
What I truly appreciate about PD Singer's writing is that the romance plot is only one of the engaging plots at work. The non-sex plot(s) is (are) equally as exciting, and the various stories are woven together expertly. The characters exhibit true personal growth by the end of the book; watching and "pulling for" that process is part of what makes it compelling along the way. Not of least importance to this copy editor is that Singer's writing itself -- the mechanics, not just the content -- is really good... and nowadays, that seems somewhat hard to come by.
Perhaps I should say a bit specifically abut this book, in addition to Singer's writing in general. It is about the ups and downs, integrity and corruption, of a group of Wall Street traders and analysts -- which, normally, would bore me to death, except that Singer makes it interesting. (She even includes a glossary at the back of the book to help guide us non-investment types through the industry jargon.) The two main characters, Jon and Ricky, are entwined in a romance in which they want drastically different things; Jon wants commitment, while Ricky wants to play the field and pretend he's committed. Enter Jon's long-lost friend Davis who has long had a crush on Jon, and you've got a fairly classic love triangle. But The Rare Event weaves in much more drama and many more shades of gray than that, and it's sure to keep you reading (if you straight folks dare pick it up in the first place!) right to the very last page!
One more thing: I have to give PD Singer great credit for not playing the "anti-gay parents" card in this book. At first, I expected that's how Jon's parents would be, but they were as wholeheartedly loving and accepting of their gay son as you would expect any parents to be of any of their kids. What a refreshing model for the anti-gay world to see (not that they'll read this... which will be their big loss).
I came across this book on the Savvy Authors website (www.savvyauthors.com) and was intrigued because I write and edit for an LGBT-focused webzine, "10,000 Couples" (http://10thousandcouples.com). I reached out to PD Singer to request an interview, during which she shared that she enjoys reading sexy romance novels (come on, admit it, you do too!) but gets fed up (my wording, there and following) with the conventional male/female role stereotypes. You know... how the woman is always, in some way, even now, the "damsel in distress" whose life finally comes together (no matter how "together" it actually was in the first place) when she hooks up with "the man of her dreams." When a friend recommended that PD (her given name is Pam) read m/m romance, she tried it and found that she liked it! In fact, she liked it so much, she decided to write some herself!
What I truly appreciate about PD Singer's writing is that the romance plot is only one of the engaging plots at work. The non-sex plot(s) is (are) equally as exciting, and the various stories are woven together expertly. The characters exhibit true personal growth by the end of the book; watching and "pulling for" that process is part of what makes it compelling along the way. Not of least importance to this copy editor is that Singer's writing itself -- the mechanics, not just the content -- is really good... and nowadays, that seems somewhat hard to come by.
Perhaps I should say a bit specifically abut this book, in addition to Singer's writing in general. It is about the ups and downs, integrity and corruption, of a group of Wall Street traders and analysts -- which, normally, would bore me to death, except that Singer makes it interesting. (She even includes a glossary at the back of the book to help guide us non-investment types through the industry jargon.) The two main characters, Jon and Ricky, are entwined in a romance in which they want drastically different things; Jon wants commitment, while Ricky wants to play the field and pretend he's committed. Enter Jon's long-lost friend Davis who has long had a crush on Jon, and you've got a fairly classic love triangle. But The Rare Event weaves in much more drama and many more shades of gray than that, and it's sure to keep you reading (if you straight folks dare pick it up in the first place!) right to the very last page!
One more thing: I have to give PD Singer great credit for not playing the "anti-gay parents" card in this book. At first, I expected that's how Jon's parents would be, but they were as wholeheartedly loving and accepting of their gay son as you would expect any parents to be of any of their kids. What a refreshing model for the anti-gay world to see (not that they'll read this... which will be their big loss).
April 9, 2012
I really liked this story, which was quiet different than the usual m/m books I read. If you're looking for a story that looks at its characters at 360°, this is perfect. While in many m/m books, the focus is all on the romance and the relationship between the main characters, to the point of them kinda living in their own world with very little connection to other people or their jobs, The Rare Event is a lot different: the same focus and attention that is put on the story between Ricky and Jon, is also put on their job and how they handle it. And that's also metaphorical for how they handle their lives. Ricky is all about putting himself out there and risking everything, Jon is more cautious. The difference in their attitudes mostly come from the way they grew up: Ricky comes from nothing, Jon comes from money and position. But for all of the risks Ricky isn't afraid to face, there is one that he runs away from: love. He is clearly in love with Jon but insists on having an open relationship and keeps a part of himself closed off. He'll have to lose everything to finally understand that some risks are worth taking while others are better not.
I really loved the two levels on which this book developed: Jon and Ricky's job on one side, their relationship and feelings on the other. At times they seemed to run parallel, at times they crossed.
I have to admit I know nothing of trading and economy and the job Ricky and Jon have in general, so at times it was difficult to understand certain things the characters talked about. The fact English isn't my first language didn't help. But I didn't mind it, on the contrary it was very challenging and interesting for me and I also learnt a lot.
Ultimately, what I really loved about the book is the way Ricky grew up and got to learn more about himself and his feelings for Jon and about what he really wanted and needed in his life. I thought that for all of his taking risks and talking big, there was a deep vulnerability to the character that came out page after page and that made him very dear to my heart.
I really loved the two levels on which this book developed: Jon and Ricky's job on one side, their relationship and feelings on the other. At times they seemed to run parallel, at times they crossed.
I have to admit I know nothing of trading and economy and the job Ricky and Jon have in general, so at times it was difficult to understand certain things the characters talked about. The fact English isn't my first language didn't help. But I didn't mind it, on the contrary it was very challenging and interesting for me and I also learnt a lot.
Ultimately, what I really loved about the book is the way Ricky grew up and got to learn more about himself and his feelings for Jon and about what he really wanted and needed in his life. I thought that for all of his taking risks and talking big, there was a deep vulnerability to the character that came out page after page and that made him very dear to my heart.
August 25, 2012
I won this book and it's the first book by this author that I've read but I'm really happy that I won it because I discovered a great author and a really good book!(even if the whole terms and explanations should have been at the beginning and not at the end of the book)
First of all it had an engaging story and characters, which made me fall in love with them practically from the first page. I felt for John could have smacked Ricky(but he grew on me), liked Dwight and Kate, hated, hated Edgar and would still love to kick Spencer where it hurts. So you can that I could and did connect with the characters and felt with them.
The business world is probably not an easy topic to read about and some may think it's dry, when all that different words fly about, you didn't knew before(might also be because English is not my first language). Still the anticipation and excitement surrounding all transaction and the hedge fund drew me in.
Secondly I have to emphasis that this is a romance novel, so don't fear that the romance comes to short! There is also a love triangle and rivalry(here I still want to kick Spencer, I ended up disliking him as much as Edgar).
Everyone who doesn't mind learning something new and reading a great romance novel set in the fascinating world of finances should really give this a chance, it might surprise you!
First of all it had an engaging story and characters, which made me fall in love with them practically from the first page. I felt for John could have smacked Ricky(but he grew on me), liked Dwight and Kate, hated, hated Edgar and would still love to kick Spencer where it hurts. So you can that I could and did connect with the characters and felt with them.
The business world is probably not an easy topic to read about and some may think it's dry, when all that different words fly about, you didn't knew before(might also be because English is not my first language). Still the anticipation and excitement surrounding all transaction and the hedge fund drew me in.
Secondly I have to emphasis that this is a romance novel, so don't fear that the romance comes to short! There is also a love triangle and rivalry(here I still want to kick Spencer, I ended up disliking him as much as Edgar).
Everyone who doesn't mind learning something new and reading a great romance novel set in the fascinating world of finances should really give this a chance, it might surprise you!
April 7, 2012
5 stars and a Recommended Book!
PD Singer’s THE RARE EVENT is about so much more than Wall Street, investments, and financial matters. This is a book about love, true love, won and lost and what it costs to win it back, if you can.
This is both a plot-driven book (make lots of money, have lots of sex, get revenge), and most definitely a character-driven book. The main characters are men I love and want to read more about. The secondary characters are beautifully developed as appealing and in some cases appalling men and woman. I loved this book and PD Singer’s style of writing well-researched novels. I highly recommend this book.
Please read my full review on April 10, 2012 - http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
PD Singer’s THE RARE EVENT is about so much more than Wall Street, investments, and financial matters. This is a book about love, true love, won and lost and what it costs to win it back, if you can.
This is both a plot-driven book (make lots of money, have lots of sex, get revenge), and most definitely a character-driven book. The main characters are men I love and want to read more about. The secondary characters are beautifully developed as appealing and in some cases appalling men and woman. I loved this book and PD Singer’s style of writing well-researched novels. I highly recommend this book.
Please read my full review on April 10, 2012 - http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
April 17, 2012
...i think this is my new favourite m/m book :)
May 31, 2012
Oddly enough(or maybe not)the cover image for this book initially kept me from reading it. Twinks are not my thing, and the guy pictured didn't seem to go with the blurb. I finally gave in, and I have to say I'm glad I did.
If there's a theme to this book, I'd say it's that sometimes you can't help who you love -- or who you don't. The heart has it's own logic, and you need to pay attention. The author manages to convey this without resorting to saccharine sentimentality, too -- definitely a nice change.
The characters were nicely complex, and changed during the course of the story -- I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this, needing to know how it worked out. If the world of finance bores you, then yes, this book may lose you early on. To be fair, if the author had glossed over the details of Jon and Ricky's job, dumbed it way down, the plot would have suffered. You need to know what they're doing and why for it to make sense in terms of risk -- and unless you have a background in finance or investments you couldn't fill in the blanks on your own.
I didn't like Ricky in the beginning, but as I read, I started rooting for him to get his head out of his butt and grow up. Kudos to the author for making his turnaround believable. As for Jon, the more of his backstory that came out, the more I saw how it made him who he is. He grows, too, and I would have been very disappointed if Jon had decided to be with Davis, as much as Davis seemed to be the better choice at first.
It's not a fluffy, sweet story -- but I found the ending all the more satisfying for the bitterness along the way.
If there's a theme to this book, I'd say it's that sometimes you can't help who you love -- or who you don't. The heart has it's own logic, and you need to pay attention. The author manages to convey this without resorting to saccharine sentimentality, too -- definitely a nice change.
The characters were nicely complex, and changed during the course of the story -- I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this, needing to know how it worked out. If the world of finance bores you, then yes, this book may lose you early on. To be fair, if the author had glossed over the details of Jon and Ricky's job, dumbed it way down, the plot would have suffered. You need to know what they're doing and why for it to make sense in terms of risk -- and unless you have a background in finance or investments you couldn't fill in the blanks on your own.
I didn't like Ricky in the beginning, but as I read, I started rooting for him to get his head out of his butt and grow up. Kudos to the author for making his turnaround believable. As for Jon, the more of his backstory that came out, the more I saw how it made him who he is. He grows, too, and I would have been very disappointed if Jon had decided to be with Davis, as much as Davis seemed to be the better choice at first.
It's not a fluffy, sweet story -- but I found the ending all the more satisfying for the bitterness along the way.
00-mm-horrible-disaster-fail-dnf
December 2, 2016Nope. Haven't had a great experience with this author's style of writing, which is a shame because the blurbs themselves are intriguing. That said, I'm parting ways with this author; too much of a risk and I don't want to waste the money on a book I'll dislike, in all likelihood :-/.
April 1, 2022
I've been waiting for this book, well, not this book per se, but something alike for almost a year, just to finally make me feel better. I do not read polyamory or open relationships and three is a crowd. But somehow a year ago I ended up reading Special Forces and I still dream about Vadim and Dan. Or they just pop into my head and make me feel so.. sad(
And here comes this gemstone of a book: you see, Jon makes a decision I desperately needed Vadim to make, and Ricky behaves exactly as I wish Dan would have done.
So the first half sent me to all my sad thoughts and emotions, and then I've started healing.
Even if Jon haven't forgave Ricky, even if Ricky haven't found strength to stay faithful and they've never made up - I would've been bitter and sad, but I would have understood and eventually forget.
Vadim and Dan.. I do understand but I just can't...
And here comes this gemstone of a book: you see, Jon makes a decision I desperately needed Vadim to make, and Ricky behaves exactly as I wish Dan would have done.
So the first half sent me to all my sad thoughts and emotions, and then I've started healing.
Even if Jon haven't forgave Ricky, even if Ricky haven't found strength to stay faithful and they've never made up - I would've been bitter and sad, but I would have understood and eventually forget.
Vadim and Dan.. I do understand but I just can't...
December 3, 2021
3.5 stars. I REALLY enjoyed the beginning of the book, but then it began to drag. I enjoyed reading about the trading thought I felt it overshadowed the romance. I was learning more about hedge fund than the “relationship” of Jon and Ricky. I did enjoy the character developed, not so much the office events, it was very confusing and all over the place to me.
The writing overall was good
The writing overall was good
September 28, 2013
Originally published at Reading Reality
A “rare event” in stock market terms is often referred to as a “black swan event,” something that is both disastrous and whose effects were impossible to predict in advance. A hurricane has a disastrous effect on the economy, but they can’t be predicted more than a few days out, for example.
All you can do is hedge your bets. Have insurance. Or not live in a hurricane-prone area. Or have an emergency evacuation plan.
P.D. Singer’s The Rare Event came down to two interwoven themes. One theme was that of redemption. In this opposites-attract romance, Jon Higgenboom is a trust-fund baby. He was raised with all the advantages. But there was an event in his life that undercut his sense of worth, and because of that one thing, he doesn’t feel advantaged in any emotional way. He’s still looking to redeem that one thing that cost him the man he loved, his entire social circle, the love of a family he thought of as a second set of parents and the brothers who weren’t born to him, and very nearly his future career. He still doesn’t know what he did, if anything.
The event he doesn’t understand has made him a hedge fund trader in a very unsavory firm, but one who carefully hedges his bets on every trade. He plays things both loose and safe in ways that make him and the firm a lot of money. But he’s someone who still wants things to be sane and stable, yet he’s pinned his heart on a man who sees commitment as a trap.
Ricky Santeramo pulled himself into a senior trader’s position at that same firm by playing every trade for the maximum gain, and hedging as few of his trades as possible. And also by being very, very lucky at a time when the market was going up, up, up like it was never going to stop. He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too, including in his relationship that wasn’t a relationship with Jon. Because Ricky didn’t do relationships. He wanted to keep everything as open as possible and never play anything safe. Not with Jon, and not at work.
Until Jon got tired of pretending that it didn’t break his heart to know that Ricky went clubbing with other men on the nights that they weren’t together, and equally tired up covering Ricky’s ass at work when Ricky refused to cover his exposed trading positions when millions of the firm’s dollars (and Ricky’s job) were on the line.
It’s only when Jon finally says that he has enough and breaks things off for good that Ricky discovers not just what he’s had all along, and lost, but that being a player is really about using people, and being used. He wasn’t as big or as smart as he thought he was, and it’s cost him the best thing he ever had.
Escape Rating B+: You do learn a lot about hedge funds and the stock market, and I found it fascinating. The how and why of it was absorbing, and I could see why people do this for a living. All the secondary characters of the firm were interesting, quirky people, even if there was one I wanted to strangle.
I said there were two themes. The other big thing going on in this story reminds me of the saying “for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing.” The story takes place in the months before the great recession of 2008. Jon sees the dominoes and can predict what’s coming, but only worries about making sure that their hedge fund will not get burned and how they can take advantage of the problem. No one thinks to warn the SEC that there’s going to be a major crash in the housing market because of repackaging the mortgage derivatives. Everyone was out for what they could get, even the good guys.
But on a smaller scale, the majority partner in the hedge fund is an equal opportunity sexual predator. All of the junior analysts, regardless of gender, are required to provide sexual services to this asshat in the office at regular intervals and everyone knows about it. Everyone knows who has been called into his office to service him and when. This is a private firm, and no one has been able to stop him. People either leave or swallow. That people in the firm felt like there was absolutely no recourse was, unfortunately, something I could understand. (Yes, the bastard does eventually get his comeuppance)
However, that all of the senior traders continued to have sex in the office where they had no expectation of privacy and where this known predator might walk in and/or have cameras filming (he didn’t, but how could they know?) tripped my willing suspension of disbelief a bit every time. I could accept that the owner was that evil, or I could accept the sex in the office, but not both in the same place.
If only for teaching me the financial term “dead cat bounce” I would think this story was fantastic. It’s certainly an image that is not going to fade any time soon. But it's both Jon's and Ricky's redemption that sticks in the heart long after the story is over.
A “rare event” in stock market terms is often referred to as a “black swan event,” something that is both disastrous and whose effects were impossible to predict in advance. A hurricane has a disastrous effect on the economy, but they can’t be predicted more than a few days out, for example.
All you can do is hedge your bets. Have insurance. Or not live in a hurricane-prone area. Or have an emergency evacuation plan.
P.D. Singer’s The Rare Event came down to two interwoven themes. One theme was that of redemption. In this opposites-attract romance, Jon Higgenboom is a trust-fund baby. He was raised with all the advantages. But there was an event in his life that undercut his sense of worth, and because of that one thing, he doesn’t feel advantaged in any emotional way. He’s still looking to redeem that one thing that cost him the man he loved, his entire social circle, the love of a family he thought of as a second set of parents and the brothers who weren’t born to him, and very nearly his future career. He still doesn’t know what he did, if anything.
The event he doesn’t understand has made him a hedge fund trader in a very unsavory firm, but one who carefully hedges his bets on every trade. He plays things both loose and safe in ways that make him and the firm a lot of money. But he’s someone who still wants things to be sane and stable, yet he’s pinned his heart on a man who sees commitment as a trap.
Ricky Santeramo pulled himself into a senior trader’s position at that same firm by playing every trade for the maximum gain, and hedging as few of his trades as possible. And also by being very, very lucky at a time when the market was going up, up, up like it was never going to stop. He wanted to have his cake and eat it, too, including in his relationship that wasn’t a relationship with Jon. Because Ricky didn’t do relationships. He wanted to keep everything as open as possible and never play anything safe. Not with Jon, and not at work.
Until Jon got tired of pretending that it didn’t break his heart to know that Ricky went clubbing with other men on the nights that they weren’t together, and equally tired up covering Ricky’s ass at work when Ricky refused to cover his exposed trading positions when millions of the firm’s dollars (and Ricky’s job) were on the line.
It’s only when Jon finally says that he has enough and breaks things off for good that Ricky discovers not just what he’s had all along, and lost, but that being a player is really about using people, and being used. He wasn’t as big or as smart as he thought he was, and it’s cost him the best thing he ever had.
Escape Rating B+: You do learn a lot about hedge funds and the stock market, and I found it fascinating. The how and why of it was absorbing, and I could see why people do this for a living. All the secondary characters of the firm were interesting, quirky people, even if there was one I wanted to strangle.
I said there were two themes. The other big thing going on in this story reminds me of the saying “for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing.” The story takes place in the months before the great recession of 2008. Jon sees the dominoes and can predict what’s coming, but only worries about making sure that their hedge fund will not get burned and how they can take advantage of the problem. No one thinks to warn the SEC that there’s going to be a major crash in the housing market because of repackaging the mortgage derivatives. Everyone was out for what they could get, even the good guys.
But on a smaller scale, the majority partner in the hedge fund is an equal opportunity sexual predator. All of the junior analysts, regardless of gender, are required to provide sexual services to this asshat in the office at regular intervals and everyone knows about it. Everyone knows who has been called into his office to service him and when. This is a private firm, and no one has been able to stop him. People either leave or swallow. That people in the firm felt like there was absolutely no recourse was, unfortunately, something I could understand. (Yes, the bastard does eventually get his comeuppance)
However, that all of the senior traders continued to have sex in the office where they had no expectation of privacy and where this known predator might walk in and/or have cameras filming (he didn’t, but how could they know?) tripped my willing suspension of disbelief a bit every time. I could accept that the owner was that evil, or I could accept the sex in the office, but not both in the same place.
If only for teaching me the financial term “dead cat bounce” I would think this story was fantastic. It’s certainly an image that is not going to fade any time soon. But it's both Jon's and Ricky's redemption that sticks in the heart long after the story is over.
January 29, 2013
What a wonderful book! It blow my mind away and beyond. Very well written and fast flowing I couldn’t let it off my hands from the moment I picked it up. P.D. Singer manages to travel us on a fast train of words through what felt the most realistic romance and exiting adventure I’ve read.
“The Rare Event” introduces us Ricky Santeramo, a hedge a man that has the world at his feet. A job with great prospects, money to spend, looks to kill, a man who adores him and allows him to have a non-exclusive relationship. In other words, Ricky is a man that has it all, no matter what it takes to get there he will and the higher the risks the better he likes it. In his job he is a trader and bets without a safety net, he never covers for losses and calls Jon a pussy for not daring more. In his sexual life… well, the same. He loves clubbing, has his own little worshiping gang and “does” whatever crosses his path.
And then, there is Jonathan Hogenboom. The very opposite of Ricky. He comes from a wealthy family. He is sensitive. He is loving and caring, never pushing Ricky into anything, only gently suggesting him of the things he wants leaving the final word on Ricky. Jon hates the fact that his lover plays around, he hates it when every other weekend Ricky goes clubbing and finding new tricks on his own, he hates it that after 2 years of being together Ricky still has no wish on committing to their relationship and mostly he hates the fact that Ricky doesn’t seem to care. So after one final night being left alone and humiliated by Ricky’s continuous behavior Jon puts a “stop-loss” on him and says the one thing Ricky never expected: Enough!
The Rare Event happens and Ricky finds himself without a job, after yet another risky trade that blows up, and without a lover, after Jon puts an end.
I have to admit that up until this point in the book I totally hated Ricky. He was so arrogant, uncaring, and selfish that more often than not I felt the urge to kick him somewhere, anywhere. But I changed my mind. From the moment Ricky loses Jon and realizes that he loves him, he changes in a most astonishing way. Suddenly Ricky grows up and tries to win his love back any way he can. OK, he still is a bit childish but that was fine with me and I dare say it amused me a lot. The jealousy he feels when Davis, an old friend of Jon’s, shows up is almost palpable. The tricks he pulls to undermine him are very funny and cute. Davis becomes his personal demon because he shows him what he already had and not only did he not value but eventually lost. When Ricky decides that he should play safer, change his lifestyle and show some trust and love, it is already too late…
Jon shows a critical change too. We meet him as low tempered creature. A man that did not dare to get what he want, almost as if he didn’t think he deserved better than to be the backup in Ricky’s life. And he turns into this fierce charming man that demands to be treated right. The man that is not afraid let it all go if he wasn’t going to have it all. The decisiveness and the strength he shows at the end made me admire him immensely.
What I loved most about this book was the fact that the characters where so human. With flaws and merits, strong emotions, fiery passion so very close to the people I meet in real life. Perhaps that was what draw me the most, I don’t know, but it did draw me. “The Rare Event” was a book that made me lose track of time and not let it go until I finished it all. It was about the same time that dawn broke of course ;) So if you love a good love story that will carry you way and offer you a most enjoyable time I highly recommend you this one. It is so worth it.
“The Rare Event” introduces us Ricky Santeramo, a hedge a man that has the world at his feet. A job with great prospects, money to spend, looks to kill, a man who adores him and allows him to have a non-exclusive relationship. In other words, Ricky is a man that has it all, no matter what it takes to get there he will and the higher the risks the better he likes it. In his job he is a trader and bets without a safety net, he never covers for losses and calls Jon a pussy for not daring more. In his sexual life… well, the same. He loves clubbing, has his own little worshiping gang and “does” whatever crosses his path.
And then, there is Jonathan Hogenboom. The very opposite of Ricky. He comes from a wealthy family. He is sensitive. He is loving and caring, never pushing Ricky into anything, only gently suggesting him of the things he wants leaving the final word on Ricky. Jon hates the fact that his lover plays around, he hates it when every other weekend Ricky goes clubbing and finding new tricks on his own, he hates it that after 2 years of being together Ricky still has no wish on committing to their relationship and mostly he hates the fact that Ricky doesn’t seem to care. So after one final night being left alone and humiliated by Ricky’s continuous behavior Jon puts a “stop-loss” on him and says the one thing Ricky never expected: Enough!
The Rare Event happens and Ricky finds himself without a job, after yet another risky trade that blows up, and without a lover, after Jon puts an end.
I have to admit that up until this point in the book I totally hated Ricky. He was so arrogant, uncaring, and selfish that more often than not I felt the urge to kick him somewhere, anywhere. But I changed my mind. From the moment Ricky loses Jon and realizes that he loves him, he changes in a most astonishing way. Suddenly Ricky grows up and tries to win his love back any way he can. OK, he still is a bit childish but that was fine with me and I dare say it amused me a lot. The jealousy he feels when Davis, an old friend of Jon’s, shows up is almost palpable. The tricks he pulls to undermine him are very funny and cute. Davis becomes his personal demon because he shows him what he already had and not only did he not value but eventually lost. When Ricky decides that he should play safer, change his lifestyle and show some trust and love, it is already too late…
Jon shows a critical change too. We meet him as low tempered creature. A man that did not dare to get what he want, almost as if he didn’t think he deserved better than to be the backup in Ricky’s life. And he turns into this fierce charming man that demands to be treated right. The man that is not afraid let it all go if he wasn’t going to have it all. The decisiveness and the strength he shows at the end made me admire him immensely.
What I loved most about this book was the fact that the characters where so human. With flaws and merits, strong emotions, fiery passion so very close to the people I meet in real life. Perhaps that was what draw me the most, I don’t know, but it did draw me. “The Rare Event” was a book that made me lose track of time and not let it go until I finished it all. It was about the same time that dawn broke of course ;) So if you love a good love story that will carry you way and offer you a most enjoyable time I highly recommend you this one. It is so worth it.
July 24, 2012
Stars: 3.5/5
Overall
This is a well-written, well-told story that toys with not being a romance, but ultimately harkens back to romantic roots. The focus of the story is Ricky and Jon, but much of the plot involves finances and stocks, which distracts from the romance, but is a (as far as I can tell) well-researched story of its own.
However, despite how good the financial tension is, I glossed through most of it because while it reflects on the characters and is involved in their development and actions, the details weighed down the flow of narrative, especially for one as financial disinclined as me.
I would still recommend this to readers who don't demand a 100% romance story. This has a good, elaborate (but not too overblown) plot, a great cast of characters, and the leads both learn something (although one definitely learns more...I'll let you guess who!). This story is good, but not amazing, and while worth the read, the heavy financial elements may turn many people off.
Review
There is plenty of drama happening in Ricky and Jon's life, whether it's the stocks, their 'open' relationship, or their skeevy sexual-harassment happy boss. The main conflictis Ricky's inability to be monogamous and Jon's desire to have just that from him. Running parallel in theme and relationship dynamic is Ricky and Jon's work life, where Ricky is the maverick and Jon is the secure buyer. These contrasts bring the characters head to head throughout as Jon begins realizing what he wants from life isn't what Ricky is willing to give him.
The drama is all interesting, although the financial speak is pretty heavy and, for me, interrupted the flow of action. However, I can't say that it's unnecessary, as much of the action centers around the stock market, so being given all the information helps the reader understand what was going on. My personal preference would have been for less of it, but I don't think it necessarily detracts from the novel for all readers. However, readers should go in expecting a ton of stock talk.
I think the weakest element of this novel was the role Spencer played, both historically and currently. His present role isn't bad, but I found it hard to swallow (even though I saw it coming) that he would behave as he did in the past. While highly unlikely, I suppose it isn't completely impossible, and I can understand that it was a needed force for multiple other things in Jon's life. However, it stuck out as being such, detracting from its believability.
Jon is an easy character to empathize with, as he's a generally nice guy who's in love with a man who is bit of a player. He has his faults, but they are minor. Ricky is a bit harder to like, as he's a player (although honest about it), a risk taker, and while not a bad guy, he tends to be more selfish. At times it's difficult to understand what Jon sees in Ricky, but I never questioned Jon's love for Ricky. He recognizes Ricky's faults (or at least faults as far as the relationship he wants to have goes). Their relationship and their unique development as characters drive the story, and it's a wonderful unraveling of people and their emotions.
Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.
Overall
This is a well-written, well-told story that toys with not being a romance, but ultimately harkens back to romantic roots. The focus of the story is Ricky and Jon, but much of the plot involves finances and stocks, which distracts from the romance, but is a (as far as I can tell) well-researched story of its own.
However, despite how good the financial tension is, I glossed through most of it because while it reflects on the characters and is involved in their development and actions, the details weighed down the flow of narrative, especially for one as financial disinclined as me.
I would still recommend this to readers who don't demand a 100% romance story. This has a good, elaborate (but not too overblown) plot, a great cast of characters, and the leads both learn something (although one definitely learns more...I'll let you guess who!). This story is good, but not amazing, and while worth the read, the heavy financial elements may turn many people off.
Review
There is plenty of drama happening in Ricky and Jon's life, whether it's the stocks, their 'open' relationship, or their skeevy sexual-harassment happy boss. The main conflictis Ricky's inability to be monogamous and Jon's desire to have just that from him. Running parallel in theme and relationship dynamic is Ricky and Jon's work life, where Ricky is the maverick and Jon is the secure buyer. These contrasts bring the characters head to head throughout as Jon begins realizing what he wants from life isn't what Ricky is willing to give him.
The drama is all interesting, although the financial speak is pretty heavy and, for me, interrupted the flow of action. However, I can't say that it's unnecessary, as much of the action centers around the stock market, so being given all the information helps the reader understand what was going on. My personal preference would have been for less of it, but I don't think it necessarily detracts from the novel for all readers. However, readers should go in expecting a ton of stock talk.
I think the weakest element of this novel was the role Spencer played, both historically and currently. His present role isn't bad, but I found it hard to swallow (even though I saw it coming) that he would behave as he did in the past. While highly unlikely, I suppose it isn't completely impossible, and I can understand that it was a needed force for multiple other things in Jon's life. However, it stuck out as being such, detracting from its believability.
Jon is an easy character to empathize with, as he's a generally nice guy who's in love with a man who is bit of a player. He has his faults, but they are minor. Ricky is a bit harder to like, as he's a player (although honest about it), a risk taker, and while not a bad guy, he tends to be more selfish. At times it's difficult to understand what Jon sees in Ricky, but I never questioned Jon's love for Ricky. He recognizes Ricky's faults (or at least faults as far as the relationship he wants to have goes). Their relationship and their unique development as characters drive the story, and it's a wonderful unraveling of people and their emotions.
Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.
December 4, 2012
Don't be scared off by the financial jargon, it's not that bad. All you need to know is that hedge funds take higher risks with their investments than do other types of investment companies, and that things like stop losses, puts, calls, and options are ways to keep you from losing too much money if your stock doesn't go the way you think it will. If you actually want to know what all of those mean, there is a handy glossary at the end of the book which explains financial terms and investing strategies in layman's terms, and even tells you which characters in the book use which strategies. Really, we've all books or seen movies about doctors or lawyers where we didn't fully understand the terminology used in some of the dialogue but still got the gist of the conversation and enjoyed the story, and this is the same thing.
The book was a little over the top in places, but everything came together nicely in the end and I was completely satisfied when I finished the story, all 350 pages of it. The narrative was a little clunky and unclear at times, with some awkward paragraph construction and the occasional floating body part, enough to distract but not nearly enough to ruin the story for me. The bad guy was a little too bad, and Ricky's way of trying to impress Jon and win him back would have been creepy in real life, but this is fiction so we'll overlook that and concentrate on other parts of the story. One thing I really, truly appreciated was that the female secondary characters were portrayed positively, one of them being a stock trader who calmly and confidently lead the firm to their biggest profit. Ricky starts out as a huge asshole, and even though he stays that way through a lot of the book and never bothers to try to make things right with those he's wronged, he does go through a lot of personal growth and we know in the end he's going to be a better person, both to Jon and to others, than he was in the beginning of the book. Jon's going be a steadying positive influence on him, and not in an annoying Daddy or Dom kind of way, but just by being a good guy himself and being in a stable, secure, loving relationship with him, which erases a lot of Ricky's impetus to act out and behave badly. Jon really comes into himself and becomes a stronger, more interesting person when he breaks up with Ricky, finally deciding that he needs to focus on his own needs instead of just making himself available when Ricky has time for him. I loved the inner strength he showed in not caving in to Ricky's demands as their relationship fell apart. It was a story where opposites attract to make the other a better, stronger, more complete person.
The writing is probably three stars, but the characters and the feeling of contentment I had after finishing made it four stars for me.
The book was a little over the top in places, but everything came together nicely in the end and I was completely satisfied when I finished the story, all 350 pages of it. The narrative was a little clunky and unclear at times, with some awkward paragraph construction and the occasional floating body part, enough to distract but not nearly enough to ruin the story for me. The bad guy was a little too bad, and Ricky's way of trying to impress Jon and win him back would have been creepy in real life, but this is fiction so we'll overlook that and concentrate on other parts of the story. One thing I really, truly appreciated was that the female secondary characters were portrayed positively, one of them being a stock trader who calmly and confidently lead the firm to their biggest profit. Ricky starts out as a huge asshole, and even though he stays that way through a lot of the book and never bothers to try to make things right with those he's wronged, he does go through a lot of personal growth and we know in the end he's going to be a better person, both to Jon and to others, than he was in the beginning of the book. Jon's going be a steadying positive influence on him, and not in an annoying Daddy or Dom kind of way, but just by being a good guy himself and being in a stable, secure, loving relationship with him, which erases a lot of Ricky's impetus to act out and behave badly. Jon really comes into himself and becomes a stronger, more interesting person when he breaks up with Ricky, finally deciding that he needs to focus on his own needs instead of just making himself available when Ricky has time for him. I loved the inner strength he showed in not caving in to Ricky's demands as their relationship fell apart. It was a story where opposites attract to make the other a better, stronger, more complete person.
The writing is probably three stars, but the characters and the feeling of contentment I had after finishing made it four stars for me.
July 26, 2012
I originally gave this book 4 stars, but as I reviewed it, I changed it to 5 because I couldn't really think of anything I disliked about this book, with the exception of Ricky in the beginning.
I really enjoyed this book. I read some of my friends reviews that said they were bored witless by all the stock talk. Okay, I can totally see that, but I found the stock talk really interesting! I loved following the analysts decisions to buy and sell stock and I really enjoyed following their analysis of the housing industry because, hey, that shit really blew up and these are like the only people in the universe savvy enough to capitalize on that. I really felt the ups and downs, highs and lows of the trading in this book and it felt like riding a roller coaster - WHEEEEE! (Damn I'm nerdy)
Jonathan Hogenboom and Ricky Santeramo are senior traders that are as opposite as two lovers can be. While Jon hopes for commitment and monogamy from Ricky, he never pushes the issue because he doesn't want to chase his lover away. Part-time Ricky is better than no Ricky at all. Oh man, did I hate Ricky through a lot of this book. He just kept hurting Jon and hurting me by proxy. Damn you, Ricky! But some of the blame lies with Jon because Ricky never lies to Jon about his outside activities. Jon's acceptance of Ricky's behavior is just as frustrating.
In this book, a Rare Event in the stock market refers to an unexpected disastrous event that, while rare, could still occur and it's important to cover your ass. The riskier the trader (like Ricky), the less likely they will put the necessary stop losses in place to mitigate the risk. More risk equals more gain after all. And such events aren't likely to happen. Right? ...Right? When a Rare Event occurs between Ricky and Jon, Ricky's world all of a sudden turns upside down and the man he has come to count on more than any other is no longer there to pick up the pieces of his heart.
Oh man - I really loved the way P.D. Singer made me hate Ricky and then turn around and end up rooting for him. At some point I had to stop myself and say, hey, how did she do that? While there were aspects of this book that were very dark (sexual harassment in the workplace, backroom anonymous sex) and a lot of things about this book formed a painful knot in my chest, I loved the feelings it invoked. The roller coaster ride was not just during the stock talk - it pretty much summed up the entire book. I really enjoyed this book a lot but I would agree with my fellow reviewers that if reading about the stock market will make you feel like stabbing a dull pencil through your eye, then this book may not be for you.
I really enjoyed this book. I read some of my friends reviews that said they were bored witless by all the stock talk. Okay, I can totally see that, but I found the stock talk really interesting! I loved following the analysts decisions to buy and sell stock and I really enjoyed following their analysis of the housing industry because, hey, that shit really blew up and these are like the only people in the universe savvy enough to capitalize on that. I really felt the ups and downs, highs and lows of the trading in this book and it felt like riding a roller coaster - WHEEEEE! (Damn I'm nerdy)
Jonathan Hogenboom and Ricky Santeramo are senior traders that are as opposite as two lovers can be. While Jon hopes for commitment and monogamy from Ricky, he never pushes the issue because he doesn't want to chase his lover away. Part-time Ricky is better than no Ricky at all. Oh man, did I hate Ricky through a lot of this book. He just kept hurting Jon and hurting me by proxy. Damn you, Ricky! But some of the blame lies with Jon because Ricky never lies to Jon about his outside activities. Jon's acceptance of Ricky's behavior is just as frustrating.
In this book, a Rare Event in the stock market refers to an unexpected disastrous event that, while rare, could still occur and it's important to cover your ass. The riskier the trader (like Ricky), the less likely they will put the necessary stop losses in place to mitigate the risk. More risk equals more gain after all. And such events aren't likely to happen. Right? ...Right? When a Rare Event occurs between Ricky and Jon, Ricky's world all of a sudden turns upside down and the man he has come to count on more than any other is no longer there to pick up the pieces of his heart.
Oh man - I really loved the way P.D. Singer made me hate Ricky and then turn around and end up rooting for him. At some point I had to stop myself and say, hey, how did she do that? While there were aspects of this book that were very dark (sexual harassment in the workplace, backroom anonymous sex) and a lot of things about this book formed a painful knot in my chest, I loved the feelings it invoked. The roller coaster ride was not just during the stock talk - it pretty much summed up the entire book. I really enjoyed this book a lot but I would agree with my fellow reviewers that if reading about the stock market will make you feel like stabbing a dull pencil through your eye, then this book may not be for you.
Read
December 1, 2013This was a rather complex, and well researched book primarily for two reasons: the setting into the trading funds world and the non-exclusive relationship. Now, it’s not the first time I read about non-monogamous couples, but usually it’s something they are doing together, and mostly involving someone else in their relationship on a pretty much steady basis. Here instead Jon is the accepting, if not willing, partner, who is always welcoming back his wandering boyfriend, Ricky. The most appalling thing is that, Ricky is not even hiding it, Jon knows that he has weekends in, when Ricky is with him, and weekends off, when Ricky does, more or less, everyone else. Hundreds and hundreds of men, without names and sometime even without a face. I really, really wanted to like Ricky, and to find some justification to his behavior, but actually, who will arrive to understand himself and his reasons, will be Jon and not Ricky, Ricky more or less will play the role of the little kid who realized how much he liked that toy when it was broken and too late to save it.
Now don’t think I didn’t like the story cause I really didn’t like Ricky, on the contrary, I loved the challenged it involved to understand Jon and his love for Ricky; in a way, I did like Ricky like someone with the Red Cross nurse syndrome would like him, wanting to save the desperate soul, believing you are the only one who could spare him from a dark future.
I’m not sure this is really the end for Ricky and Jon, Jon did grow a pair and was able to stand up to Ricky, but, as I said, I still think Ricky did it for the wrong reason, to have Jon back, and not cause he was really convinced that was the best for him. Plus I did miss the part in which Ricky tries to merge with Jon’s family and background, meeting parents and relatives, mingle with the good society he apparently is not part of. Moreover, there is still unresolved issues in Ricky’s past, basically Jon doesn’t really know him and his origins, making a relationship between them really difficult.
I’m not saying this book is missing something, already like this it was longer than usual, but I would consider if I was the author to revisit these two.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613724098/?...
Now don’t think I didn’t like the story cause I really didn’t like Ricky, on the contrary, I loved the challenged it involved to understand Jon and his love for Ricky; in a way, I did like Ricky like someone with the Red Cross nurse syndrome would like him, wanting to save the desperate soul, believing you are the only one who could spare him from a dark future.
I’m not sure this is really the end for Ricky and Jon, Jon did grow a pair and was able to stand up to Ricky, but, as I said, I still think Ricky did it for the wrong reason, to have Jon back, and not cause he was really convinced that was the best for him. Plus I did miss the part in which Ricky tries to merge with Jon’s family and background, meeting parents and relatives, mingle with the good society he apparently is not part of. Moreover, there is still unresolved issues in Ricky’s past, basically Jon doesn’t really know him and his origins, making a relationship between them really difficult.
I’m not saying this book is missing something, already like this it was longer than usual, but I would consider if I was the author to revisit these two.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613724098/?...
April 30, 2012
The Rare Event by P.D. Singer is filled with enticing drama, woven weaves, hot passion and a fuel for success unlike any other book I’ve read. This was my first gay romance and based off of what I have read in Singer’s book, it won’t be my last. The author managed to capture my attention with this intriguing storyline and kept it there right on to the end.
While I questioned how much I’d be into the story in the beginning, I soon found that despite all the technical terms for hedge funds, I was enraptured by what was unfolding before me. Ricky, Jon and Davis provided insight that many books miss now days and give the reader a true story on just how hard capturing love can sometimes be.
While my heart eventually broke, (Yes, I was rooting for the underdog) The Rare Event leaves readers with a warm heart and the right happily ever after. I would definitely recommend this book, while it’s a little bit longer than most, to anyone looking to experience a change in the typical books on the market and a love story that proves to be classic.
Synopsis: Hedge fund trader Ricky Santeramo has it all: money, looks, and fellow trader Jonathan Hogenboom. The two couldn't be more different: Jon is from old money, while Ricky clawed his way out of blue-collar New Jersey. Jon hedges his positions; Ricky goes for broke. Jon likes opera and the Yankees; Ricky prefers clubbing. Jon drinks wine with dinner; Ricky throws back a beer. Jon wants monogamy… but Ricky likes variety.
Bankrupt airlines are facing strikes, the housing market is starting to crumble, and Jon can’t wait any longer for Ricky to commit. One last night alone and one last risky trade make Jon say, “Enough.” Then Jon’s old friend Davis comes to New York City, ready for baseball and forever. The whole world is chaos, but there are fortunes to be made—or lost—and hearts to be broken—or won.
Faced with losing it all, Ricky must make the savviest trades of his life and pray for a rare event. His portfolio and Jon's love are on the line.
While I questioned how much I’d be into the story in the beginning, I soon found that despite all the technical terms for hedge funds, I was enraptured by what was unfolding before me. Ricky, Jon and Davis provided insight that many books miss now days and give the reader a true story on just how hard capturing love can sometimes be.
While my heart eventually broke, (Yes, I was rooting for the underdog) The Rare Event leaves readers with a warm heart and the right happily ever after. I would definitely recommend this book, while it’s a little bit longer than most, to anyone looking to experience a change in the typical books on the market and a love story that proves to be classic.
Synopsis: Hedge fund trader Ricky Santeramo has it all: money, looks, and fellow trader Jonathan Hogenboom. The two couldn't be more different: Jon is from old money, while Ricky clawed his way out of blue-collar New Jersey. Jon hedges his positions; Ricky goes for broke. Jon likes opera and the Yankees; Ricky prefers clubbing. Jon drinks wine with dinner; Ricky throws back a beer. Jon wants monogamy… but Ricky likes variety.
Bankrupt airlines are facing strikes, the housing market is starting to crumble, and Jon can’t wait any longer for Ricky to commit. One last night alone and one last risky trade make Jon say, “Enough.” Then Jon’s old friend Davis comes to New York City, ready for baseball and forever. The whole world is chaos, but there are fortunes to be made—or lost—and hearts to be broken—or won.
Faced with losing it all, Ricky must make the savviest trades of his life and pray for a rare event. His portfolio and Jon's love are on the line.
June 16, 2015
The Rare Event was an interesting read, not what I would call a romance but compelling all the same. It’s like watching ‘Boiler Room’ and ‘Wall Street’, its high octane, lots of pretty boys and lots of drama. But the biggest hurdle is its VERY technical, there are pages and pages of stock talk, and much of which went over my head. I did learn some things though, about stocks and wall-street, and I did still get caught up in the trader madness, rooting and worrying though I might now always understand the finer details.
The relationship between steady dependable Jon and his polyamorous lover Ricky was well told. I enjoyed the dynamics of it, and the idea of the player realizing the one that got away is the only one he wants. Jon gets tired of his lover sleeping with other men and after one risk too many he cuts him off-but working together makes it tough to get over each other (though if Ricky has anything to say about it, they will be back together in no time). I liked how Jon stuck to his guns and meant what he said no matter how hard it was for him fighting his own desires and love for Ricky. Ricky had to come to the hard realization that Jon is the only one for him and then had to really work for his redemption and at the same time competing with a man who was a much better fit for Jon. Jealousy and subterfuge only fuel Jon’s resolve, and with the backdrop of the excitement of the stocks it was an intriguing enough read. I also found the firms office politics, the sleazy partner who slept with his staff, and the angry traders who put up with to keep their jobs insane, and it makes me wonder how much of that happens in the real world of highly competitive markets!
This is the first I’ve read of this author, I probably will check out more of her work, but hopefully next time it won’t be quite so technical…
The relationship between steady dependable Jon and his polyamorous lover Ricky was well told. I enjoyed the dynamics of it, and the idea of the player realizing the one that got away is the only one he wants. Jon gets tired of his lover sleeping with other men and after one risk too many he cuts him off-but working together makes it tough to get over each other (though if Ricky has anything to say about it, they will be back together in no time). I liked how Jon stuck to his guns and meant what he said no matter how hard it was for him fighting his own desires and love for Ricky. Ricky had to come to the hard realization that Jon is the only one for him and then had to really work for his redemption and at the same time competing with a man who was a much better fit for Jon. Jealousy and subterfuge only fuel Jon’s resolve, and with the backdrop of the excitement of the stocks it was an intriguing enough read. I also found the firms office politics, the sleazy partner who slept with his staff, and the angry traders who put up with to keep their jobs insane, and it makes me wonder how much of that happens in the real world of highly competitive markets!
This is the first I’ve read of this author, I probably will check out more of her work, but hopefully next time it won’t be quite so technical…
May 2, 2013
A rare event on wall street involves turning a huge profit. A rare event in Jon & Ricky's relationship would involve monogamy. Ricky is a young handsome trader on wall street that could have any man in New York, and does. Jon is loving, faithful, and reluctantly tolerant of Ricky's wondering ways. He would rather have monogamy, but as with any relationship, sometimes people end up wanting different things. The every day stresses of the stock market build the tension at work, with creepy boss Edgar beckoning each trader into his office for.....'a moment of your time?' that makes the reader cringe.
Then we meet Davis, and his brother Spencer. Childhood friends of Jon's. There is a score to settle, a story to straighten out, and when the air is cleared it also clears the way for Davis to express his feelings for Jon. An architect, Davis can literally build Jon the life he wants and can't have with Ricky. A house to Jon's specifications, love, and monogamy. Davis is more than ready to give it all. Is Jon ready to accept all this? What about his feelings for Ricky?
P.D. Singer's smooth style of writing flows from scene to scene effortlessly, and captures the reader with a 'what happens next' interest. Can Davis convince Jon to accept his love? Can Ricky change his ways before it's to late? If Jon and Ricky can save their relationship, it would be, A Rare Event.
Then we meet Davis, and his brother Spencer. Childhood friends of Jon's. There is a score to settle, a story to straighten out, and when the air is cleared it also clears the way for Davis to express his feelings for Jon. An architect, Davis can literally build Jon the life he wants and can't have with Ricky. A house to Jon's specifications, love, and monogamy. Davis is more than ready to give it all. Is Jon ready to accept all this? What about his feelings for Ricky?
P.D. Singer's smooth style of writing flows from scene to scene effortlessly, and captures the reader with a 'what happens next' interest. Can Davis convince Jon to accept his love? Can Ricky change his ways before it's to late? If Jon and Ricky can save their relationship, it would be, A Rare Event.
January 21, 2016
I was addicted to these two guys as this story developed and rolled along. I went from hating Ricky to loving him with a sad and broken heart. Life lessons are hell on the heart when you realize how much your own stupidity has actually cost you the one thing you need and want the most in that life. That's Ricky's story and his realization and fight will tear at your heartstrings. Jon doesn't give him an inch. I love this as well. I hate MC's that have been treated so poorly but just roll over with one little show of "I'm sorry" from the other MC. Jon is strong and he finally demands the respect and love he's deserving of from Ricky and this makes the story more believable and rewarding when they finally reconcile. There's a lot going on all around in this story and it adds so much to the realism here. The only thing I could have done without is the TMI element to the stock market and Wall Street. I don't care nor did I want a lesson in the workings of working in the stock market atmosphere and this was boring and detracts from the story I really want to read about. Overall, this was a great story and I can't believe it took me so long to finally pick up this book. Enjoy!
March 9, 2014
I enjoyed this especially with my blended background of Finance and HR…….
Ricky was such a 1st class asshole to Jon, and in the beginning I was really disgusted by his attitude and behavior. At the same time Jon had me equally annoyed …..doormat much Jon. I was literally yelling GROW A F***ing PAIR JON!
I don't know how exactly, haven't quite wrapped my head around and I may not ever but at some point Ricky had me feeling so sorry for him…..I wanted to slap myself….
I never really warmed to Davis and the whole misunderstanding with Spencer was 10 degrees of F***ed-upness (is that a word?)
All and All a good read though some parts had me wanting to stall or skim (especially in the middle) but I kept pushing and I'm glad I did.
Ricky was such a 1st class asshole to Jon, and in the beginning I was really disgusted by his attitude and behavior. At the same time Jon had me equally annoyed …..doormat much Jon. I was literally yelling GROW A F***ing PAIR JON!
I don't know how exactly, haven't quite wrapped my head around and I may not ever but at some point Ricky had me feeling so sorry for him…..I wanted to slap myself….
I never really warmed to Davis and the whole misunderstanding with Spencer was 10 degrees of F***ed-upness (is that a word?)
All and All a good read though some parts had me wanting to stall or skim (especially in the middle) but I kept pushing and I'm glad I did.
January 31, 2013
3.75
I enjoyed the story between Ricky and Jon, however I was bored to tears and skimmed the work place chatter around the stock market, those pages will be my new insomnia remedy. Ricky at the beginning is not the most likeable guy but Jon knew what it was like and put up with it for almost 2 years so you can't totally fault Ricky for walking all over him.
There is a lot going on in the story other then just Ricky and Jon's relationship and the stock market ups and downs.
I do like the writing style and would read more books by this author.
I enjoyed the story between Ricky and Jon, however I was bored to tears and skimmed the work place chatter around the stock market, those pages will be my new insomnia remedy. Ricky at the beginning is not the most likeable guy but Jon knew what it was like and put up with it for almost 2 years so you can't totally fault Ricky for walking all over him.
There is a lot going on in the story other then just Ricky and Jon's relationship and the stock market ups and downs.
I do like the writing style and would read more books by this author.
August 31, 2013
? Spoilers
I thought the Mountain series was good! This was phenomenal! I loved this book! Happy about the definitions at the end of the book....THANKS! Now, if only there were a book about Davis...
I did wish that Jon had a chance to meet up with his old lover, would have loved to see how that went, seeing as how he didn't trust him, just believed what was said. Don't get me started on Spencer. Like I said, I wish it had been explored a bit more, get the closure Jon needs.
I thought the Mountain series was good! This was phenomenal! I loved this book! Happy about the definitions at the end of the book....THANKS! Now, if only there were a book about Davis...
I did wish that Jon had a chance to meet up with his old lover, would have loved to see how that went, seeing as how he didn't trust him, just believed what was said. Don't get me started on Spencer. Like I said, I wish it had been explored a bit more, get the closure Jon needs.
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