Tigers and Devils
by Sean Kennedy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Sean KennedyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-03-09
ISBN: 1935192450
Number of pages: 376
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Book Reviews of Tigers and Devils
Book Review: Surprisingly fun and interesting. A great read!
Summary: 5 Stars
Simon Murry is a 27-year-old, intentionally-surly, film festival director in Melbourne, Australia. When his best friends, the married Roger and Fran, drag him to a party, he finds himself defending Aussie pro football player Declan Tyler to a group of partiers. "Sure he comes off as an arrogant prick, but...." and proceeds to list Declan's many awards and accomplishments as to why he's great. He does not know that Declan has shown up at the party, and is standing behind him, hearing everything from "arrogant prick" on. It turns out that football star Declan, an incredibly talented and handsome pro athlete, is very attracted to this man who is not starstruck in his presence. So begins the courtship.
The entire novel is told in a first-person conversational tone. It's Simon telling their story. It's the author's first novel, and has a few slightly shaky moments in the beginning, but the combination of the casual conversation, the interesting characters, and the realistic situations all make for a very fun read indeed. It deftly sails through the dangerous waters of the many obstacles true love must defeat in these stories: maintaining a long-distance relationship, keeping said relationship secret to all (Declan is a multimillion dollar pro sports athlete in an aggressive masculine sport), dealing with the publicity when the relationship is publicly discovered, the strains of constant media attention, friction between the friends and new love, and the many many miscommunications. What is amazing is that so many things happen, yet it all seems so plausible. You fully empathize with why Declan wants to keep everything a secret and why Simon unreservedly agrees. You understand why his best friend fights him on this relationship. The outing of the relationship happens in a natural and expected way. The reaction of the public and Declan's response both feel real. All of this happens, and you've barely passed the halfway point of the book.
The story never gets cheesy (except when a character is intentionally being cheesy and says so). Scenes of intimacy are very sensual and romantic, not vulgar, graphic, or explicit. This isn't a "how-to" manual. The intimate moments are sensual and romantic, without being overly sentimental or over-the-top. A simple kiss, as told by Simon, becomes a memorable experience. The romantic scenes don't overshadow the story, and instead are seamlessly woven into it as natural expressions of the characters.
The characters are all interesting and likable, and they grow on you throughout the story. Besides growing on you, the characters themselves grow emotionally. The story naturally develops the character of Simon to a much deeper level than other characters because it's all told from Simon's point of view. Because Declan is the focus of Simon's attention, Declan also has strong character development since he's the main focus of Simon. All recurring characters are also given their moments as they move through Simon's life, and they're given appropriate levels of complexity based upon how much a part of Simon's life they are. That is, close friends are examined in more detail than Simon's brother because he sees his friends much more frequently. The more main the character, the more detail is given to him.
Through the story, you find yourself rooting for this couple and hoping they eventually overcome all of the obstacles life is throwing at them. The novel does not disappoint. There are, for sure, flaws peppered through the story. One scene may have a bit more drama than is necessary, and another may require more drama than is given. A line of dialog here or there may seem a bit off. But in spite of it all, when I finished it, I found myself grinning and daydreaming of Aussie footballers. I can honestly say I loved this story. If you read it an enjoy it, be sure to check out the author's website as he's published a small interlude that takes place between Third Quarter and Fourth Quarter (two consecutive chapters within the story).
Summary of Tigers and Devils
Football, friends, and film are the most important parts of Simon Murray's life, likely in that order. Despite being lonely, Simon is cautious about looking for more, and his best friends despair of him ever finding that special someone to share his life. Against his will, they drag him to a party, where Simon barges into a football conversation and ends up defending the honour of star forward Declan Tyler -- unaware that the athlete is present and listening. Like his entire family, Simon revels in living in Melbourne, Victoria, the home of Australian Rules football and mecca for serious fans. There, players are deemed gods and treated as such - until they do something to cause them to fall out of public favour. Declan is suffering a horrendous year of injuries, and the public is taking him to task for it, so Simon's support is a bright spot in his struggles. In that first awkward meeting, neither man has any idea they will change each other's lives forever. As Simon and Declan fumble toward building a relationship together, there is yet another obstacle in their way: keeping Declan's homosexuality a secret amidst the intrusion of well-meaning friends and an increasingly suspicious media. They realise that nothing remains hidden forever... and they know the situation will only become more complicated when Declan's private life is revealed. Declan will be forced to make some tough choices that may result in losing either the career he loves or the man he wants. And Simon has never been known to make things easy - for himself or for others.Erotica Books
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