Now That a few reviews are in, I thought I would share a few from various locations.
Brazil: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am always honest when writing my reviews, that’s why I think I cannot rate this book. will not be able to rate all the contradictory emotions I got while reading it. I liked the overall story, it is not something I would usually choose by myself, but I thought it was intriguing. That said, I really wanted to like the way the story was written, but I couldn’t. Manyt things bothered me, but most of them was the character’s comentary on women and so on. I also could not stand some of the words used in this book. The narrator/main character is overly formal about some things (he says things like: ‘she sat down and we began conversing’), but for some it is so imature. ‘Kissy-face’? ‘My little fellow’? No, please. Just no.
But, please, do not let my opinion stop you from reading the book.
Canada: I received an ARC from the author for my review.
Thank you Lee DeBourg.
I thoroughly enjoyed Concurrent Relationships. The fact that we heard the tale from Frank’s point of view was wonderfully refreshing.
I loved Frank, he made me swoon. I loved him.
Beth Ann. Her. I could slap her. Grr.
Sorry, she makes me skin crawl.
Moving on.
I felt connected to the storyline even though I’ve never really related to an experience like that. Lee does a wonderful job bringing a strong story with loveable characters to his readers.
After reading numerous love stories from female POV, it was nice to get a glimpse into a male POV.
It was a great and easy read, definitely refreshing. If you’re looking for something a bit different, give Concurrent Relationships a read. You won’t regret it
Finland: I received a book from Lee, thank you!
Wow, what a book! Even If I read this slowly (maybe ’cause it wasn’t a “real” book, you know!) I liked it. First of all, it’s very nice that a story is from Frank’s POV! Then the characters, I have realized that I like when I hate some characters and this time it was Beth Ann. (suprise!) During reading I was just saying: “Beth, Beth, Beth omg with you…” I want to slap her like everyone does! Frank, you handsome man who has women but there isn’t love, I send you lots of hugs!!!
This book is very nice, a plot is nice, different feelings come out, you love Frank, you hate Beth!
Macedonia: Frank get one phone call from his ex girlfriend Beth Ann, she need directions to find his place in Collins. There in Collins he thinks that he was “safe” and he lives his life comfortable, but this was too much. Beth Ann waiting for finalizing divorce paper and she will be free woman.
Seventeen chapters named in Latin language that was the reason that I choose to read and review this book. When the author contact me to review his book I didn’t pay attention to summary I just stare to those Latin words and decide to read this book and I did it.
Beth Ann is straightforward, what she wants she gets. She seems to me like an imagination or maybe like a man’s imaginary woman as for sex. She is spoiled and rich girl; her parents had high hopes in her.
Frank is too cautious, first I think that he is a lost cause, but how pages passing by I change my mind. He is shy and quiet man. He meets Beth Ann in college and then they start some kind of sexual relationship. Maybe for him that was real relationship, but for Beth Ann was not.
The story was kind of weird; unusual I know that has such people in the world with that kind of relationships but I’m old fashioned and I didn’t understand these relationships, a concurrent relationships. This does not mean that the book was boring to me, contrary was very interesting.
India: The first time I heard the name of the book and was told that it was based on CONCURRENT RELATIONSHIPS I didn’t know what this meant
and so I went to my reliable knowledge source “Google” for information. According to Google,
CONCURRENT RELATIONSHIPS means having “multiple relationships which overlap in time.”
A book meant for mature readers, CONCURRENT RELATIONSHIPS is a very unusual book which deals in a very different and an alien topic for me. I was intrigued and also felt uncertain if I could do justice to this book and rate it appropriately since my prior knowledge on the subject was nil and I couldn’t state any heard-of or read-of experiences of this phenomenon which I can safely say is rare in India. But I did read the book and felt n number of things while my journey through the story! 🙂
CONCURRENT RELATIONSHIPS is the story of Frank Avery who was once a shy and awkward person who couldn’t talk to girls but who has now learnt all the tricks of the trade and can easily befriend girls and can also make them feel at ease while they are in his company. This feature of his has earned him many girl followers and several dates. Then he meets Beth-Ann “a tall brunette” who according to him, “was unmistakably a spoiled child, relying far too heavily on the child’s personal pronoun group of ‘I-Me-Mine’ “ . Beth quickly becomes obsessed with Frank and although Frank feels no love for her, he is happy to have a sexual relationship” with her! The story starts with Beth’s divorce and her announcement of coming to stay with Frank so as “to begin catching up” on her sex life. Although Frank is not happy at the announcement he agrees and so starts their purely lust based relationship again. The story moves at its pace and along the way Frank meets many girls and even falls in love with a girl Gina, he calls his “Greek Goddess” who leaves him under mysterious circumstances. The story marks the changes in Frank’s life and the change in his partners with one constant Beth Ann over a period of ten years.
Does Frank find his true love or is he satisfied with his “call boy” sexual relationship with Beth Ann?
Why did Gina leave him not once but twice and even though they love each other, can they find a “Happily-ever-after” for themselves?
Can Frank stand up to the manipulating and controlling Beth Ann and end this farce of a relationship they have?
“All is true and all is false in love; love is the only thing about which it is impossible to say anything absurd.”
The story proved to be a novel experience for me where I was appalled, shocked, disgusted, got angry and wanted to hit someone, sometimes wanted to pound some sense in Frank and slap Beth, even tell the women in the story to go get a life and choose a man 100% devoted to them and in return devote themselves to someone instead of having relationships with no future. I was even touched by Gina and Frank’s love for each other and it broke my heart when Gina left him with no explanations. I admired Frank’s contentment in living in a small town and enjoying a quiet life with less money than go work in the city where though the money was more the life was hectic with no peace. I agreed to his simple lifestyle but totally disagreed to his passive attitude and simple agreement to everything Beth ordered him to do.
Maybe these type of relationships are common in some parts of the world but personally I don’t agree and support such partnerships. Call me old fashioned but I like my partner to give me his total devotion and be my mate till death do us part.
Lee’s writing is fluid and effective while also being simple. He has created characters so different in their temperaments but all developed so beautifully. The story looses pace in the middle but soon picks up and swirls us from country to country and character to character with well executed events that support and take the story to its conclusion with some very unexpected twists and turns and finally an end which will leave the reader rendered speechless! 🙂
An unusual book, from a very promising author, with a story of a man maturing and finding true meaning to his life after many learning relationships and experiences. This is a book that will turn out to be an unforgettable experience to everyone along with being an interesting read. It has definitely been just that to me.
Australia: I had a love hate relationship with this book but I don’t regret reading it at all. Straight away you can tell the author is an extremely competent and intelligent person who’s style of writting I found very different from what I am used to . The story is from a male point of view so I’m guessing that’s what felt different about this frustrating and worthy tale of love and lust . The funny thing about this book is I actually felt smarter after reading it and I look forward to reading more work from this author .. Why 5 stars ? Because this book stirred so many emotions in me and anybody who can make me laugh one minute and cry the next deserves it …not to mention the intense frustration I felt for the main character 🙂
Lee DeBourg 