Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Aldo Zoria, a successful commercial photographer, lives with his wife and their lover in a happy household that includes the lover’s two young children. Domestic bliss shatters when an unexpected guest arrives and threatens to turn their world upside down. Found Objects is a novel about the struggle between values and instincts, ideas and reality, whom we strive to become and whom we were born to be.

 

Book Review

This book is different for me as it is told in the first person from an active character's point of view. So, it took me a little extra time to grasp the flow and how the main characters truly interrelated with each other. When I did, I could hardly put the book down. The characters are exceptionally real and substantial. The stresses and tensions are palpable; the sexual highs were delightful. The only possible down element I might mention is that some internal tensions from the narrator seem to repeat, leaving me a bit perplexed. Nevertheless, a broader perspective became available to me as my immersion within this story grew. I even started to grasp the narrator's issues leaving me open to uncover wonderful beauties within the group even though this is being presented by the narrator who is part of the original threesome. I was able to let this remarkable romance percolate, letting me feel confident about saying this is a solid thumbs up!

Aldo is a freelance photographer at the current time and the 'narrator' of this book. I got to know how he clicked and perfected his ability to put together some impressive advertising campaigns. He loves to read. He is a pretty good cook and holds his own when it is his turn to prepare dinner. He has come to adore the area of Vermont where he and Erica, his wife, came to settle. He has an interesting collection of strengths, weaknesses, and perceptive acuity. Since everything I got to know about him, Erica, Marie, Dominic, Jasmine, and eventually Jonah, is filtered through Aldo's perceptions, I was frequently reworking my thoughts about folks. My feelings, discomforts, and joy is often at odds with his personal viewpoint. I enjoyed jostling with Aldo and I would have adored becoming the fifth member of this group! I never felt that close to an author before, but this first person presentation is a startlingly intricate and dramatically intimate relationship. I would often immediately fall into agreeing with his personalized presentation before I retrieved myself, separated myself from him so I could see him as just one of the cast. Eventually, I was very impressed with how the author gave me this sort of double edged sword wherein I walk in Aldo's skin and at other times I am with him shoulder to shoulder or eye to eye.
 
Erica is Aldo's wife and a woman of color. That fact came gently into my awareness when all three adults are getting into bed for the first time within the narration. According to Aldo, his relationship with Erica was having trouble before Marie and her children Dom and Jas joined the household. She and Aldo truly love Marie on all levels. Naturally, there are tiffs and tussles, but this feels like a perfect trio. I found Erica the hardest to come close to and put that situation completely on Aldo's shoulders as I thought he was a bit skimpy with Erica's presentation. 

Marie is the mother of Dominic, Dom, and Jasmine Jas, and is an important central character around which the entire book revolves. She is not an angel, but she is a very loving soul, and an affectionate and dutiful mother. Her loving relationship with Aldo and Erica is immediately put to the test at the end of chapter one.

Jonah, Marie's husband, arrives at the end of chapter one. He is very difficult to get a good handle on, because Aldo is afraid he will take Marie and the children away from him and Erica. Aldo frequently holds thoughts of obliterating Jonah to the far reaches of the universe. Yet, there are some interesting bonding episodes between Aldo and Jonah. Jonah shows his best side to me through Aldo's rendering of Jonah dealing with his son. The Jonah 'issue' is a brilliant addition to this narrative and I tip my hat to the author for creating this fascinating foursome.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Nortia Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 280 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	03-June-2013
Price
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