eBook review – Blank by Sommer Marsden
Reviewed by Andrea Nichol
Kyle is a man in pain. The man he loved deeply has left him and as a result, his life has spiralled out of control, into drugs and prison. “Blank” takes place after he gets out of prison, when he is trying to find himself again and alleviate the pain of being alone, having lost someone he loved completely. He can only expel his pain by using men’s bodies to dull the agony – his new addiction, sex. If he can only screw man after man the pain will slowly leave him and he will be himself again. Part of the rebuilding of his life is to make a major change and he goes to work in Montana on a ranch, a perfect place to find both men, and hopefully, peace.
He works hard, plays hard and fucks hard, staying elusive from Tad, the ranch’s “numero uno”. There’s something about Tad that is reminiscent of his lost love, Jason, and it would be disastrous to lose himself again. It is only after Kyle has a bad encounter and allows himself to become vulnerable and open that he realises that the way to alleviate pain is to let go of the past and embrace possibility. Not everyone will leave him; not everyone will hurt him.
Marsden writes a compelling story that touches on the vulnerability of Brokeback Mountain. Interspersed between bouts of hot sex, Kyle’s struggle to become whole is very apparent. As a character, Kyle is interesting, complicated and very human; the love interest, Tad is also complicated and diverse and the reader is left hoping they find each other. An excellent read.
Sally Jones
Lucy Felthouse
missstresscat
Alana James
scrivener13
dorlamoorehouse
