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Lomita For Ever
Ever Millen is in LA, losing his mind. He's landed in the City of Angels seeking the truth about the death of his father, an abstract expressionist painter whose work has fallen out of favour. Ever soon discovers that revenge doesn't come easy. But then, by chance, he meets the beautiful, enigmatic Lomita Nairn, a woman almost fifty years his senior, his world is changed for ever and he sees what he must do to save them both. Part noir-thriller, part oddball-romance, part philosophical investigation into the nature of the human soul, Lomita For Ever is rich with wisdom and sympathy.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2019
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45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 8, 2022
THE END…
Whew! Finished—at last.
I purchased Lomita for Ever back in April of 2002 and finally completed the book in August of the same year. Normally, when I order a book I plough through it in about a week. Lomita was different. While it was written by one of my favorite actors, Trevor Eve, I found it very difficult to keep reading. One reasons was that the writing style is often quite difficult to follow. I found myself frequently re-reading a section (something I hate to do), but following what was happening required an unusually high degree of focus. Another problem is that the story itself is convoluted and takes bizarre turns.
So, why did it read it? Mostly because I admire Trevor Eve and know that he has struggled with mental health issues for much of his life. Ever, I think, is a good reflection of Eve’s struggles in coping with the demands and stresses of daily life.
Lomita for Ever is the story Ever Millen, a thirtyish Londoner who travels to LA to try to determine why is father, an artist living and working in LA, took his own life. Through a chance encounter, Ever meets Lomita, a lady in her mid-seventies, living in Beverly Hills. Lomita has her own dark past and secrets, but for no apparent reasons takes a liking to Ever.
As events transpire, Ever determines that the depression that led to his father’s death was the fault of a high-roller art dealer that bought his father’s gallery of paintings for a song then moved them into a remote warehouse instead of attempting to show and sell them. For this, Ever decides that the art dealer should die. Lomita, upon learning Ever’s plans, for her own reasons, attempts to gently guide Ever from this plan.
Time passes, Ever and Lomita become quite close and in some regards, co-dependent as the story pushes toward a disastrous conclusion—a conclusion Lomita refuses to accept.
Without getting into spoilers, I’ll say that the story really takes off when Lomita is invited to a Shabbat dinner hosted by the art dealer. The dialogue during the dinner, both spoken and internal, is at times heartlessly cruel yet realistic. In a bit of dark humor, Lomita thinks, at one point in the dinner, that perhaps the art dealer does deserve a “good killing”.
The strength of the book is the insights into the thoughts and struggles of those fighting mental illness and/or damage through harrowing life experiences. These are amazingly related by the author.
The conclusion of the book is unexpected but appear inevitable as the facts are revealed.
So, am I glad that is powered through and completed the book? Yes…
The book is a challenge to read (and complete), but the revelations about people is worth the work.
Whew! Finished—at last.
I purchased Lomita for Ever back in April of 2002 and finally completed the book in August of the same year. Normally, when I order a book I plough through it in about a week. Lomita was different. While it was written by one of my favorite actors, Trevor Eve, I found it very difficult to keep reading. One reasons was that the writing style is often quite difficult to follow. I found myself frequently re-reading a section (something I hate to do), but following what was happening required an unusually high degree of focus. Another problem is that the story itself is convoluted and takes bizarre turns.
So, why did it read it? Mostly because I admire Trevor Eve and know that he has struggled with mental health issues for much of his life. Ever, I think, is a good reflection of Eve’s struggles in coping with the demands and stresses of daily life.
Lomita for Ever is the story Ever Millen, a thirtyish Londoner who travels to LA to try to determine why is father, an artist living and working in LA, took his own life. Through a chance encounter, Ever meets Lomita, a lady in her mid-seventies, living in Beverly Hills. Lomita has her own dark past and secrets, but for no apparent reasons takes a liking to Ever.
As events transpire, Ever determines that the depression that led to his father’s death was the fault of a high-roller art dealer that bought his father’s gallery of paintings for a song then moved them into a remote warehouse instead of attempting to show and sell them. For this, Ever decides that the art dealer should die. Lomita, upon learning Ever’s plans, for her own reasons, attempts to gently guide Ever from this plan.
Time passes, Ever and Lomita become quite close and in some regards, co-dependent as the story pushes toward a disastrous conclusion—a conclusion Lomita refuses to accept.
Without getting into spoilers, I’ll say that the story really takes off when Lomita is invited to a Shabbat dinner hosted by the art dealer. The dialogue during the dinner, both spoken and internal, is at times heartlessly cruel yet realistic. In a bit of dark humor, Lomita thinks, at one point in the dinner, that perhaps the art dealer does deserve a “good killing”.
The strength of the book is the insights into the thoughts and struggles of those fighting mental illness and/or damage through harrowing life experiences. These are amazingly related by the author.
The conclusion of the book is unexpected but appear inevitable as the facts are revealed.
So, am I glad that is powered through and completed the book? Yes…
The book is a challenge to read (and complete), but the revelations about people is worth the work.
September 19, 2019
An original writing style from Trevor Eve in a narrative that delves into the workings of a disturbed mind, giving us a glimpse of how another person 'sees' their world and the consequences. There are twists & turns in the story line and a few 'surprises' along the way!
A great first novel - congratulations Trevor.
A great first novel - congratulations Trevor.
May 27, 2019
I am not surprised to see that people seem either to have loved or hated Lomita For Ever. In some ways, I did both; there’s a lot that’s good about it in that it has an original style and deals with some tough issues pretty well, but in the end I couldn’t really get on with it.
The book deals with Ever (short for Everett) whose mind seems to be coming apart following the death of his father and some shocking revelations leading to his separation from his wife and son. Frankly, for a good deal of the book, it’s not easy to say what the plot is; Ever has revenge of a kind in mind on someone whom he thinks destroyed his father but meets the very aged but still beautiful Lomita which throws everything into turmoil.
It’s an odd plot written in an odd style, and it was the style which eventually threw me out of the book. It is original and in some ways brilliant, but it’s also very hard to understand at times and began to get unbearably mannered. As a small but typical example, Chapter 13 begins:
“The firing range.
Did not require ear defenders with the Maxim 9...”
That weird fragmentation of sentences happens a lot and while it is atmospheric, it got me down in the end, especially when it made it very hard to know who had said what. I quite enjoyed the first 20% or so, slogged through another few chapters and then began to skim, I’m afraid.
On the one hand I admire Trevor Eve for his originality and courageous avoidance of a generic celebrity-author’s thriller, but on the other the book became a real chore after a while. Others have plainly enjoyed this far more than I did and you may too, but personally I can’t recommend it.
(My thanks to Unbound Digital for an ARC via NetGalley.)
The book deals with Ever (short for Everett) whose mind seems to be coming apart following the death of his father and some shocking revelations leading to his separation from his wife and son. Frankly, for a good deal of the book, it’s not easy to say what the plot is; Ever has revenge of a kind in mind on someone whom he thinks destroyed his father but meets the very aged but still beautiful Lomita which throws everything into turmoil.
It’s an odd plot written in an odd style, and it was the style which eventually threw me out of the book. It is original and in some ways brilliant, but it’s also very hard to understand at times and began to get unbearably mannered. As a small but typical example, Chapter 13 begins:
“The firing range.
Did not require ear defenders with the Maxim 9...”
That weird fragmentation of sentences happens a lot and while it is atmospheric, it got me down in the end, especially when it made it very hard to know who had said what. I quite enjoyed the first 20% or so, slogged through another few chapters and then began to skim, I’m afraid.
On the one hand I admire Trevor Eve for his originality and courageous avoidance of a generic celebrity-author’s thriller, but on the other the book became a real chore after a while. Others have plainly enjoyed this far more than I did and you may too, but personally I can’t recommend it.
(My thanks to Unbound Digital for an ARC via NetGalley.)
May 27, 2019
Lomita for Ever begins with Ever, recently arrived in LA for the funeral of his father, an artist who in Ever’s opinion never received the recognition he deserved. It is quickly apparent that Ever is battling extreme mental instability as his personal mission whilst in the states is to wreak revenge on the person he holds responsible for his father’s death. A chance meeting with Lomita, a wealthy elderly widow is then the starting point for a relationship that is strange to say the least. Lomita sees herself as Ever’s saviour and as the storyline develops the reader learns some shocking facts about the pair which some might find disturbing. This is a difficult read as the novel is mainly written in a disjointed way to the point of being very irritating although I will say if you do persevere you do get used to it. Personally I didn’t like the crude, explicit language at times although at least a storyline did emerge because at first it read like incoherent rambling. Whilst the storyline did have potential (the author has obviously done his research surrounding the art world and mood altering drugs!) I think it could have been a better read had it been written in a different style. I’m not against reading about distressing/harrowing events but some authors have the ability to make these more palatable to the reader than is the case here. There’s no getting away from the fact this is a bizarre novel on the whole and in my opinion won’t have huge appeal for the majority.
I will say that if a book doesn’t pique your interest in the very first pages then it is unlikely to make you want to continue and unfortunately the beginning is enough to put you off! Whether or not the author intended the style of writing to convey Ever’s mental instability I’m not sure. As a reader you need to feel invested in the characters and interested to hear their stories play out but despite both Ever and Lomita having lived through terrible personal experiences, I had virtually no empathy or liking for either of them.
This would make a good read for any book club as I think it will definitely divide opinion as to whether it is worthy of your time or one to discard in a hurry. I’m still in two minds whether I liked or hated this book hence only two stars but I can appreciate why other readers have rated it more highly.
I will say that if a book doesn’t pique your interest in the very first pages then it is unlikely to make you want to continue and unfortunately the beginning is enough to put you off! Whether or not the author intended the style of writing to convey Ever’s mental instability I’m not sure. As a reader you need to feel invested in the characters and interested to hear their stories play out but despite both Ever and Lomita having lived through terrible personal experiences, I had virtually no empathy or liking for either of them.
This would make a good read for any book club as I think it will definitely divide opinion as to whether it is worthy of your time or one to discard in a hurry. I’m still in two minds whether I liked or hated this book hence only two stars but I can appreciate why other readers have rated it more highly.
May 26, 2019
I had the chance to read this book on The Pigeonhole online book club and so felt a commitment to finish it. Some people loved it but I found it very difficult to read. The writing style was clunky and disconnected and some of the repeated metaphors quite frankly odd, irritating and not very visual. There seemed to be unnecessary detail in some instances - lengthy thoughts on types of drugs for depression, for example. The main characters were unlikable and by the end it was hard to feel sympathy toward them. Graphic detail of rape, incest etc. left a sour taste in my memory and whilst there should be openness around the topic of mental health, this novel didn’t do it for me. On the positive side it was not run of the mill and showed real imagination.
July 2, 2019
This is the first book by actor Trevor Eve and it does not disappoint. It is a somewhat dark psychological thriller about two people brought together by tragic events in their lives. Ever (short for Everet) aged 27 and Lomita a lady aged 70. Ever comes to LA to avenge his fathers death he believes was caused by a man who owns an Art gallery and Lomita who took revenge as a young lady in the man who abused her. Can she stop Ever from going down the same path.
June 1, 2019
Not always an easy read but well worth persevering. I was attracted by the author's name and background and enjoyed his lavish and lush writing style.
The plot was well thought through and original and the characters well drawn and in one case, unforgettable.
I can understand why this is not everyone's cup of tea but give it a try!
The plot was well thought through and original and the characters well drawn and in one case, unforgettable.
I can understand why this is not everyone's cup of tea but give it a try!
June 6, 2019
Absolutely worth the time- clever, intriguing and twisty. Although the very unlikely scenario challenges fictional reality, if you can imagine, you will be totally enveloped in this strange story of love. I loved the characters and the 21st-century realities that challenged them. More and more I am turning to fiction that offers hope through satire and I am glad I found this little gem.
July 23, 2019
The book is about Ever who seems to On the verge of a breakdown after the death of his father.
I found this a little disjointed, like Ever’s mind really and the language felt like it was trying very hard to be experimental, but I found it difficult to read as the flow didn’t feel right.
So unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it, but that could just be my personal taste.
I found this a little disjointed, like Ever’s mind really and the language felt like it was trying very hard to be experimental, but I found it difficult to read as the flow didn’t feel right.
So unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it, but that could just be my personal taste.
May 13, 2019
This is not what I was expecting, although I’m not sure what I was expecting.
I feel like I’ve lived through Ever’s breakdowns & nightmares, emerging into a David Lynch inspired film set. Complete with gangsters, art collectors, & a plan for revenge that doesn’t go to plan.
I feel like I’ve lived through Ever’s breakdowns & nightmares, emerging into a David Lynch inspired film set. Complete with gangsters, art collectors, & a plan for revenge that doesn’t go to plan.
May 30, 2019
Whilst there is much to admire in this book, I personally found the writing style hard work. I didn’t like either of the main characters very much, so had no investment in what happened to them.
I can see why others have rated it highly though!
I can see why others have rated it highly though!
June 17, 2019
I didn’t enjoy this book I found the style of writing difficult to read, at times I went over a page several times to understand who was saying what! Graphic sexual detail, rape and incest together with lengthy paragraphs on drugs were not in my opinion necessary.
March 21, 2022
The story read like a true story.
Lomita For Ever is about a man, Ever Millen who is searching for the truth about the death of his father. He is in LA and unexpectedly meets Lomita a woman and life as he knows it changes.
Great characters and an interesting storyline left me wanting more.
Lomita For Ever is about a man, Ever Millen who is searching for the truth about the death of his father. He is in LA and unexpectedly meets Lomita a woman and life as he knows it changes.
Great characters and an interesting storyline left me wanting more.
September 11, 2024
Intelligent and funny and very beautiful. I loved the writing style. Disjointed yes but so was Ever's mind. A horrible sex scene, a beautiful sex scene and a really dodgy one. I'll say no more on that!
May 27, 2019
Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.
September 7, 2024
Not an easy read, but very rewarding. Beautiful story, worth it all the way.
February 15, 2026
What an exceptional and delightful book in so many ways!
I loved the main characters and could quite happily have spent more time in their company.
I also really enjoyed the way the story unravelled, between past and present, and explained the behaviours of each of the characters in plausible depth and detail.
I really enjoyed the humour and the bizarre and sometimes shocking behaviour of Lomita and Ever ... in many ways they were a great mental match for each other.
The fantastical aspects of this novel were at a level that didn't feel too annoyingly ridiculous and unbelievable. You definitely need an open mind to enjoy this book; I am not easily shocked so was okay with the narrative … at one point I did think some of the detail was unnecessary, however, as the book unravelled I realised it was all necessary.
Lomita and Ever are confident mavericks living their lives according to their own rules and norms because they couldn’t fit into the real world … I applaud their resilience and quirkiness.
But what really made this book for me is the writing style, which is totally unique and a delight to immerse yourself in.
The observations and detail is spot on from a mental health perspective, there is nothing fictional about Ever's behaviour or his thought processes ... everything he felt is how you would feel if you had OCD, had obsessional thoughts, became fixated on things, lost perspective and had to rely heavily on medication just to get through the day.
So, I can't wait to read Trevor Eve's next novel ... is there no end to this man's talents ... hopping seamlessly from talented actor to brilliant author and having fun along the way … why not I say … I get the feeling Trevor enjoyed writing this novel and that helped enormously in my enjoyment of the novel.
I loved the main characters and could quite happily have spent more time in their company.
I also really enjoyed the way the story unravelled, between past and present, and explained the behaviours of each of the characters in plausible depth and detail.
I really enjoyed the humour and the bizarre and sometimes shocking behaviour of Lomita and Ever ... in many ways they were a great mental match for each other.
The fantastical aspects of this novel were at a level that didn't feel too annoyingly ridiculous and unbelievable. You definitely need an open mind to enjoy this book; I am not easily shocked so was okay with the narrative … at one point I did think some of the detail was unnecessary, however, as the book unravelled I realised it was all necessary.
Lomita and Ever are confident mavericks living their lives according to their own rules and norms because they couldn’t fit into the real world … I applaud their resilience and quirkiness.
But what really made this book for me is the writing style, which is totally unique and a delight to immerse yourself in.
The observations and detail is spot on from a mental health perspective, there is nothing fictional about Ever's behaviour or his thought processes ... everything he felt is how you would feel if you had OCD, had obsessional thoughts, became fixated on things, lost perspective and had to rely heavily on medication just to get through the day.
So, I can't wait to read Trevor Eve's next novel ... is there no end to this man's talents ... hopping seamlessly from talented actor to brilliant author and having fun along the way … why not I say … I get the feeling Trevor enjoyed writing this novel and that helped enormously in my enjoyment of the novel.
February 9, 2020
This is a very strange read. I hated the first part (mainly the way it's written) and then further in I found parts of it too shocking - just too much information. Playing on my mind. Then I thought - don't be so squeamish and stick with it. I did. I hated Ever and loved Lomita. After a while I started to feel for Ever though I never warmed to him. About two thirds of the way through I began to think I am reading a masterpiece. A classic of the future. Totally unique. If you put aside your discomfort at certain things and realise the true brilliance of this book you will grow to love it.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read along with other Pigeons (those who stuck with it).
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read along with other Pigeons (those who stuck with it).
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