Customer Reviews

Daytime Drama

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are searching for serious gay literature, then pass on this novel. If however, you have your heart set on a juicy, page burning, soap opera of a book then DAYTIME DRAMA is just what youve been looking for. I believe this type of fiction is commonly referred to as a guilty pleasure, but let me tell you, this story of love and back stabbing intrigue, set in the world of daytime soaps, is a total pleasure and I dont feel the slightest bit guilty in saying so. Oh, did I mention that it is also a steamy, titillating who done it as well? Its a shame that so few books provide their readers with this much fun. I for one, also appreciate the fact that the reader is given, not only interesting gay characters to hiss or cheer over, but also get a few interesting strait characters (one especially hot couple in particular) to root for too. After all, Danielle Steele and Judith Krantz quite often include gay characters in their fiction. I think its only fair that a book this worthy of comparison should do the same for straits. Dave Benbow has provided us with a dishy fast paced read that never seems silly, is sexy and naughty without being pornographic, and remains unashamedly over the top from beginning to end. I havent been entertained like this since ABC took DYNASTY off the air. Bravo!!!!

Also recommended: The Night We Met by Rob Byrnes, He's The One by Timothy James Beck, and The Book Of Lies by Felice Picano

Really, who can resist a sappy soap opera? Other than the classic primetime soapy series I never got caught up in television soaps. But I was weaned on my mother's daily dose of daytime drama on the radio - Ma Perkins, Our Gal Sunday and all the rest. So when DAYTIME DRAMA was published I knew it would end up on my reading list. I mean, who can resist a book that asks the question, "Can Clay Beasley, a young handsome struggling actor, fight his way through thousands of young handsome struggling actors to move on from playing Intern #2 to find love, wealth, happiness and stardom on Sunset Cove daytime TV's hottest drama?" Well you know he will, eventually, but not before the story is filled with enough murder, intrigue and skullduggery to keep you turning the pages at a brisk pace.

OK, so the characters seem a tad superficial. But their newly cropped hair artificially kissed by the sun always swishes around the most perfect faces modern surgery can produce as they apply Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 to their perfectly pouty lips under their straight Roman noses. And under their pristinely white Calvin Klein wife beaters and tight, weathered Polo Jeans you know you'll always find perfect Gold Gym sculpted abs. There are no pimples for the folks who people Daytime Drama. Mainly, because the pimple space is needed for all of the dropped brand names and (hopefully) product placements. (What an ingenious way to subsidize publishing costs by selling space in a book to have your product's name casually dropped into the plot. They do it all the time in the movies.)

The author, a former soap actor and retailing executive, probably knows what he's talking about, but I found the story is a bit predictable and I knew who the murderer is almost from the start, but that's what makes soaps so enjoyable isn't it?. You try to warn the romantic ingenues about what's going to happen to them, but they never listen to you. DAYTIME DRAMA is a fun read for a lazy afternoon when you can't watch your soaps.

Having spent many afternoon fantasizing that my favorite soap actors were playing for my team, I decided this book would indeed be a must read. I was not the least bit disappointed, but enraptured by the thought that my fantasies may be actual realities for someone out there. The characters in the novel are outrageously fun and likeable. The writing is light hearted and simple to read. The plot draws the reader in and makes the pages fly by. (Either that, or the anticipation of the next sex scene. I have to admit I wish I could have joined in with Travis and Clay. Well, in my own way I did) Anyway, I digress. If you want to spend a couple of hours thoroughly enjoying yourself, and then pick up this fun book, you will not be disappointed.

Dave Benbow's first novel is as equally good as his more recent second novel, "Male Model." The characters are well developed (in more ways than one), especially Travis and Clay. And the sex scenes...girls hold on to your belt buckles! Didn't realize when I bought it that it was a mystery. The plot line was terrific as were the subplots. In addition to all of the gay goings on, there was a transexual and a murderer and even a straight couple who were very supportive of the gay characters. Lots of little twists that were however somewhat predictable. I read this one on a flight from Los Angeles to Washington DC. I am rapidly becoming a fan of Benbow's work and look forward to, not only his next story (and whatever HOT book jacket they come up with this time)to the day when I meet him on the street in WeHo and thank him for some very entertaining reads! Highly recommend this one!

Guy V. De Rosa

Los Angeles

No need to put another log on the fire to keep warm this winter, DAYTIME DRAMA will keeps things way above 90 degrees; for at least 288 pages.

I was skeptical at first because I am not a fan of soap operas, or as my mother used to call them, her "stories." Make no mistake about it, DAYTIME DRAMA is not your mother's soap opera; it's for MEN, and men who love men. It's part murder mystery; think a good LAW & ORDER or CSI. It's part high stakes corporate intrigue; think the motion picture NETWORK or the Showtime series BEGGARS & CHOOSER's. It's part WILLIAM HIGGINS porno; the sex sizzles. And most of all, it's a traditional romance set in sunny, HOT, Los Angeles, CA.

Dave Benbow is a natural writer story teller, that weaves all these worlds together. Benbow has created characters that are smart, funny.

Autumn is here, and winter is quickly approaching. I just ordered Benbow's latest book MALE MODEL to keep me warm. If it's anything like DAYTIME DRAMA, I'll welcome the freezing weather, just to cool down.

This is such a FUN and ENTERTAINING book! I didn't want to stop once I'd started reading it - I even cancelled a date for not wanting to get interrupted... This kind of gay literature is so rare and precious - the MORE the merrier!!

Although it's fictional, its settings and story lines are quite believable (since I live in West Hollywood and Hollywood area and have heard stories in the Entertainment business). The plots are very much of Soap - full of constant drama and surprises - or it'd not be as entertaining!

And the sex scenes are HOT but not dirty - full of fantacies but not that far off.

I bet this will be made into something like HBO or Showtime original movie! And just hope they'll find really hot actors to live up to the charactors in the book! Or, I'd be so disappointed.

Great job Dave! Keep it up!

This book completely caught me off guard because when I saw the small cover and description, I thought this book was an urban drama. I couldn't tell that the cover men were really tanned little white boys and I thought I'd have some silly surfer boy drama on my hands. I was pleasantly surprised. Other than the characters being slightly stereotypical and vain (very real though) the plot had twists and turns that had me coming home to read it every night. I have novels from over 15 African American writers and I had planned to stick to urban writers, but I was pleasantly satisfied with this authors work and ened the book with a smile and appreciation for how all the good guys made out in the end. I strongly reccommend this book!

The author did a great job on this book (as in the title of this paragraph). I couldn't stop reading it as soon as I'd started (I even canceled a date and cut class in order to finish it...).

A quite Soap Opera like storyline based on true experiences and fictions gives its readers once again both the hope and the fantacy of beauty and pure & eternal love, esp. in the West Coast...

Never a dry moment... Sex scenes are beautifully hot & sweaty but never dirty nor porno like...

Would love to see it made into an HBO or Showtime original series. Just hope the actors will be as beautiful as the charactors in the book...

Bravo!

I loved this book...what a fun and sexy way to get into the deep, dark world of Hollywood daytime TV. With its outstanding character development (I really felt I knew these people), and humorous, over-the-top supporting characters...plus the great soap-opera-esque story...I could not put this novel down. The added bonus of a murder mystery was even more than I expected. I am so excited to read more from this author. Thanks for such a fun read.

Excellent gay drama. Clay Beasley is 28, gay and living in LA. He's an actor and wants to get that big break that makes him a star. He's an extra on a TV soap called "Susent Cove". The star of it is obnoxious Jack Benz but Clay falls hard for another actor on the shop named Travis Church. Clay and Travis start a secret love affair. Then one day Jack is killed on the set in an accident that turns out to be murder. It seems everyone has a motive and Clay and Travis are swept up in thr drama...and the fact that their affair might become public.

This book is just great! Full of interesting characters, excitement and some REAL hot gay sex. There's also a lot of humor--it isn't all gloom amd doom: It also deals with being in the entertainment industry and not being able to be openly gay. This book was written in 2003 and, in that respect, it's dated. It's no longer such a big deal--just look at Neil Patrick Harris. The author also worked on some soaps so his view of how they are filmed and what happenas on the set must be pretty accurate. It all leads to a big happy and thoroughly believable ending. Well worth reading--especially for gay men:)