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Healthy Obsession #1
Healthy Obsession
While Jack Randall relishes his free-spirited life, making no commitments and tricking with a variety of hot men, he also wants what his best friend Steve has: happiness with a husband. He doesn't realize that joining the health club in his building, Healthy Obsession, will lead him to Mr. Right; but there stands the muscular and extremely good-looking Rick Monroe.Jack is immediately attracted to Rick, even though Rick is married, a father, and reluctantly in the closet. The reality of falling in love is much harder than the dream of finding Mr. Right, but Jack is willing to make the effort and help Rick, if Rick is willing to be true to himself.
80 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2010
1 person is currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn LeVine Topol
14 books18 followersBorn in Brooklyn, Carolyn LeVine Topol grew up just outside New York City. Three passions dominated her life: reading, writing, and theater. Having always dreamed of writing her own version of The Great American Novel, it took her many years to discover her most heartfelt stories took their form in the creation of M/M romances. Sharing her writing with a small circle of online friends, Carolyn received advice, encouragement and joy from their feedback.
Spending her days working as an executive assistant in a synagogue, Carolyn relishes the quiet wee hours of the morning to lose herself in writing of the loves, passions, and adventures driving her characters.
With the backing of a supportive husband and two young adult children, Carolyn continues to explore the fabulous world of gay romance with the philosophy "Every person deserves their happy ending."
Visit Carolyn's blog at http://carolyn-l-topol.livejournal.com. You can contact her at cstopol@gmail.com.
Spending her days working as an executive assistant in a synagogue, Carolyn relishes the quiet wee hours of the morning to lose herself in writing of the loves, passions, and adventures driving her characters.
With the backing of a supportive husband and two young adult children, Carolyn continues to explore the fabulous world of gay romance with the philosophy "Every person deserves their happy ending."
Visit Carolyn's blog at http://carolyn-l-topol.livejournal.com. You can contact her at cstopol@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 17, 2010
THE BLURB
While Jack Randall relishes his free-spirited life, making no commitments and tricking with a variety of hot men, he also wants what his best friend Steve has: happiness with a husband. He doesn’t realize that joining the health club in his building, Healthy Obsession, will lead him to Mr. Right; but there stands the muscular and extremely good-looking Rick Monroe
Jack is immediately attracted to Rick, even though Rick is married, a father, and reluctantly in the closet. The reality of falling in love is much harder than the dream of finding Mr. Right, but Jack is willing to make the effort and help Rick, if Rick is willing to be true to himself.
THE REVIEW
I am going to be honest right up front: I really detest the expression “breeder.” It’s a hot button word for me. So when a character thinks something like,
in the first few pages of a book, it is going to bias me against that character right from the start. This, unfortunately, is what happened to Jack Randall, the main character in Healthy Obsession. I was willing to keep an open mind and let Jack redeem himself in word or deed, but he never did. He was selfish, self-centered, rude, sarcastic, and prone to jump to conclusions based on incomplete or inaccurate information. And maybe it’s a reflection of my shallowness, but if a book has a lead character that I really can’t stand, it’s going to be tough for the book to win me over. In this case, Healthy Obsession did not.
The basic premise is simple: Jack is a self-proclaimed slut who has slept with two-thirds of the gay men in Boston. While this has been a happy, fulfilling, and satisfying life, he has come to understand that what he really wants is what his friend Steve has: happiness and true love with a husband. Once Jack has had this stunning realization, nothing will do but to have it happen within the next 24 hours.
While Jack doesn’t have a clue about how to change his slutty ways, salvation comes in the form of his boss, who demands that he join the new health club in their office building because the boss will a big break on his rent. Farfetched, yes, but it serves to get Jack into the gym, where he immediately meets Rick. Rick is drop dead gorgeous and wearing a wedding ring (insert more insulting breeder thoughts) but that doesn’t stop Jack from hitting on him in the steam room.
Rick, meanwhile, doesn’t know who or what he is. He says that he got married at age 20 to get out of the house and away from his “drunken, abusive” father (but at the time, he was attending Boston College, which has dorms…wouldn’t that be a way to get away from his father? How did he afford to attend BC, anyway?). Now it is some number of years later. His marriage is on the rocks, he thinks he’s gay, he’s legally separated but still living with his wife because he doesn’t want to leave his children.
Slut, meet closet case. Is happiness and true love in the cards for these two men? You betcha! And it comes within Jack’s required timeframe of 24 hours, too.
I only finished this because it was short and I wanted to see if the ending was as preposterous as I expected it to be (it was). Equally preposterous was Jack’s transformation from rude and obnoxious to sensitive and caring, willing to help his man find his way in his new gay life. And because of Jack’s steady, guiding, and insightful personality, Rick suddenly has clarity of thought and mind and his way, his path is revealed to him…with Jack at his side.
Barf.
Fans of the author might find something worthwhile in this wretched mess, but I, in good conscience, cannot recommend it. But in case you doubt my opinion, there’s a lengthy excerpt at All Romance eBooks that should help you decide if this insta-love story is right for you.
(posted at reviewsbyjessewave, 3/16/2010)
While Jack Randall relishes his free-spirited life, making no commitments and tricking with a variety of hot men, he also wants what his best friend Steve has: happiness with a husband. He doesn’t realize that joining the health club in his building, Healthy Obsession, will lead him to Mr. Right; but there stands the muscular and extremely good-looking Rick Monroe
Jack is immediately attracted to Rick, even though Rick is married, a father, and reluctantly in the closet. The reality of falling in love is much harder than the dream of finding Mr. Right, but Jack is willing to make the effort and help Rick, if Rick is willing to be true to himself.
THE REVIEW
I am going to be honest right up front: I really detest the expression “breeder.” It’s a hot button word for me. So when a character thinks something like,
“The biggest irritants were the women. He hated watching all the breeders gathering at the new watering hold to flirt and tease in the nauseating way heteros tried to attract one another…
in the first few pages of a book, it is going to bias me against that character right from the start. This, unfortunately, is what happened to Jack Randall, the main character in Healthy Obsession. I was willing to keep an open mind and let Jack redeem himself in word or deed, but he never did. He was selfish, self-centered, rude, sarcastic, and prone to jump to conclusions based on incomplete or inaccurate information. And maybe it’s a reflection of my shallowness, but if a book has a lead character that I really can’t stand, it’s going to be tough for the book to win me over. In this case, Healthy Obsession did not.
The basic premise is simple: Jack is a self-proclaimed slut who has slept with two-thirds of the gay men in Boston. While this has been a happy, fulfilling, and satisfying life, he has come to understand that what he really wants is what his friend Steve has: happiness and true love with a husband. Once Jack has had this stunning realization, nothing will do but to have it happen within the next 24 hours.
While Jack doesn’t have a clue about how to change his slutty ways, salvation comes in the form of his boss, who demands that he join the new health club in their office building because the boss will a big break on his rent. Farfetched, yes, but it serves to get Jack into the gym, where he immediately meets Rick. Rick is drop dead gorgeous and wearing a wedding ring (insert more insulting breeder thoughts) but that doesn’t stop Jack from hitting on him in the steam room.
Rick, meanwhile, doesn’t know who or what he is. He says that he got married at age 20 to get out of the house and away from his “drunken, abusive” father (but at the time, he was attending Boston College, which has dorms…wouldn’t that be a way to get away from his father? How did he afford to attend BC, anyway?). Now it is some number of years later. His marriage is on the rocks, he thinks he’s gay, he’s legally separated but still living with his wife because he doesn’t want to leave his children.
Slut, meet closet case. Is happiness and true love in the cards for these two men? You betcha! And it comes within Jack’s required timeframe of 24 hours, too.
I only finished this because it was short and I wanted to see if the ending was as preposterous as I expected it to be (it was). Equally preposterous was Jack’s transformation from rude and obnoxious to sensitive and caring, willing to help his man find his way in his new gay life. And because of Jack’s steady, guiding, and insightful personality, Rick suddenly has clarity of thought and mind and his way, his path is revealed to him…with Jack at his side.
Barf.
Fans of the author might find something worthwhile in this wretched mess, but I, in good conscience, cannot recommend it. But in case you doubt my opinion, there’s a lengthy excerpt at All Romance eBooks that should help you decide if this insta-love story is right for you.
(posted at reviewsbyjessewave, 3/16/2010)
June 30, 2011
I enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written. I enjoy angst and there was a little here. Jack is tired of being a player and wants to settle down with that one special someone. Others have critisized the premise but I find it believable. I think there are plenty of people in that situation, who have played the field but want to settle down. When Jack is pressured by his boss to use the new health club in his office building he meets Rick, who is married with kids, but in the closet. However, Rick has seen Jack around the building for years and wanted to meet him so this new club is the perfect excuse for them to finally talk. They're perfect for each other, so of course they hit it off. When they finally do have their first date, they spend the day together, which is most of the book. Jack and Rick both do a lot of sharing of themselves with each other. Jack also has to wonder if Rick is really the one for him since he comes with a lot of baggage with coming out, getting divorced, and a ready made family all at the same time. Is he ready to grow up and handle all of that. He's sure that he loves him. My only real complaint is that the book wasn't long enough. It had a lot of promise to be a lot more. If you read A Risk Worth Taking directly after this one, the sequel picks up as if it were two books that stopped between paragraphs. If you are going to read this one, I highly suggest reading them back to back as the two together are only like 160 page.
October 2, 2010
Meh m/m romance about a player who's finally decided he needs more out of life than one-night stands. While he's at the gym, he meets a guy in the process of getting divorced and coming out and it's twue wuv. (Hmm. Kinda snarky there. Possibly because I wanted to slap characters while I was reading.)
October 1, 2010
This book annoyed me in several different ways. First from the comments about "heteros" and "breeders". Very rude. Add to that the insta love Jack finds with one of those "hetero breeders" and I just felt let down.
February 20, 2010
3.5 stars. This is a good book with some interesting characters. Some of the secondary characters, especially at the bar were nearly as interesting as the two main characters.
I would have given more stars except the book ended too soon. Just when the boys were going to really devote themselves to the fight ahead it faded to black. The falling in love part is usually easy, it's the standing together against the odds that makes things interesting. It's the payoff and we don't get to see that.
I would have given more stars except the book ended too soon. Just when the boys were going to really devote themselves to the fight ahead it faded to black. The falling in love part is usually easy, it's the standing together against the odds that makes things interesting. It's the payoff and we don't get to see that.
November 21, 2010
This story about a 'player' finding his true love with a 'straight' man, couldn't entice me. I didn't feel the attraction, and the 'love' felt way too rushed. The writing was repetitive and is best characterized as 'telling instead of showing'.
February 18, 2011
This is a very cute book. I enjoyed Ms. Levine Topol's straight forward writing and her ability to write witty characters that kept me reading.
I give Healthy Obsession three stars.
May 12, 2013
A great start to what promises to be a very intense relationship. I want to know what happens next, don't stop.
June 16, 2013
loved it..very enjoyable...gonna read the second part now..
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews