Customer Reviews

Hobble

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3 star:		(1)
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HOBBLE tells of the shocking relationship that develops when Bennet Gillespie, a famed surgeon, has a chance encounter with Day on the beach. What follows is an erotic tale that chronicles the relationship that develops between Bennet, Day, and Day's "guardian" Mr. Hopkins. As the story progresses Bennet quickly discovers that Day's mysterious injuries are just the tip of the iceberg and as he discovers more about Day's sordid past he is both drawn to her and repulsed. Over time Bennet finds himself involved in a relationship with Day, yet he must continue to share her with Mr. Hopkins. Because of Day's sexual prowess and their strong physical relationship, Bennet accepts the fact that he cannot be her one and only. As the story comes to a shocking climax and the true relationship between Day and Mr. Hopkins is revealed readers will find themselves aghast.

Sourna has definitely written a truly unique tale of lust. However, this story is very dark and deals with issues that many readers will find difficult to stomach. As the author attempts to build suspense in the plot the story tends to drag and much of the storyline lacks believability. While Sourna spent a fair amount of time helping readers understand Day's past and her motivations for behaving as she did, there was a lack of such development in Bennet's character. As a result, I found myself frequently wondering why he was drawn to such a twisted and unhealthy relationship. I was disappointed by the conclusion of the story because it seemed a bit too tidy and convenient given the tumultuous nature of the rest of the book. The author also includes excerpts from several upcoming releases. Sourna classifies HOBBLE as a work of adult fiction and that is an accurate categorization, however, I would add that because of the sensitive nature of the plot even fans of erotica may find this book over the top.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay ...

I was flying and saw this great novel cover and asked was the story any good. He said I should read five pages and see. I read for about half an hour before he interrupted me Bogarting his book and asked how it was. Duh. We talked awhile before I got out my laptop and ordered online. (I love the internet and online publishers and stores. I can't find a walk-in local bookstore that orders what I want anymore.) My copy of HOBBLE was waiting for me when I'd completed my trip a few days later.

I really like this book, so, I don't get the previous review by Kalaani at RawSistaz. Sourna's book isn't confusing. Or missing anything. It's everything you need to know about these three people and nothing else. No wasted 90 pages of drivel that goes nowhere or characters who add nothing (see first 90 pgs of Rice's Witching Hour). HOBBLE is only from one guy's perspective, about a threeway love and sex affair among jaded people with issues to hide, but who must forge sometimes optimistic and often heinous bonds to get what each wants.

And like the attractive cover implies, there is a beautiful woman, who is deadly, who wears little and who has damaged ankles. Without the cover girl and her knife, there's no hero vs villain, no lover-vs-lover-vs-lover, no successful guy trying to figure out if he can or should make a life with this damaged beauty vs how can she be gotten from her nasty elder, well-heeled guardian with the least amount of carnage as possible.

That's tight writing [trim it down and it be a solidly good script] because this is deep stuff but devilishly, fascinatingly fun. And sexy as hell. With the most appealing romantically intimate moments I've read in a long while.

HOBBLE gives you a penetrating insight into one man's thoughts and emotions--at least what he let's us know--and it's done in a very easygoing, open but not strictly linear manner, which is an achievement considering a great deal of what's going on in the story is neither friendly nor easy. For instance, the three main characters aren't syrupy heroic but realistic people I could relate to. Villain Hopkins has the least explained about him but what is explained proves the author was right, I didn't need (intellectually) or want to know (emotionally) anymore about him.

I felt narrator/lead/hero/anithero Benn and his lover Day were drawn well, in an articulately layered style. Just when I thought I had either of them nailed, Benn would present another tantalizing facet of himself or on his perspective of Day, their relationship or situation and the ENTIRE story would suddenly be reshaded with greater intimate depth and color.

I love hit-me-in-the-gut surprise twists in character stories.

Warning: the romance here is not gooey sweet by any standard, it's darker and more emotionally truthful, I thought, than a straight romance or sensual romance. And as far as the bad things that happen, I've heard much worse on TV news programs or read in my local city paper. In fact, the book is labeled ADULT FICTION much like things by Anne Rice that I've read (her Mayfair witch series and one of the Sleeping Beautys). I also loved the sex. It's sometimes graphic, like a Genesis or Hustler story but more literary. I'm not certain if this is mainstream or romance or what exactly. In actuality, if a genre(s) must be picked, I think this should be literary romance, if there is such a thing, or literary erotica/erotic romance. There is a distant (a lot has changed since the 1920s or '30s) classy similarity, to me, to D.H. Lawrence or Anais Nin with H. Miller's edge (but not his annoyingly creepy bedbug references).

I enjoyed that Benn would express and comment on what I was thinking. Neale Sourna not only got what goes on in a man's head during a romantic and erotic love affair but what goes on in a reader's head, or at least mine, when reading this. It was as if Benn were in the room, kicking back in a chair in the dark, telling me about his mystery ridden and tense, romantic relationship with his sexy, troubled, and bedeviled heroine/anti-heroine lover. He was telling me this and when I'd get to the point of having both the story and my own interior opinion running side by side in furious contrary arguments in my thoughts and emotions, he'd lean over and state what's going on in my mind. Bang. A hit-to-the-gut. Love it!

This author, Neale Soura, is deep and psychological in a very accessible and visceral manner, plus there are short pieces in the back of pending works, which make me hope the next Neale Sourna tale comes out very soon.--Mal D'Aquino, again in flight

A friend of a friend recommended me to Neale (neel) before publishing, for a regular guy's perspective. Which I gave and I must say wasn't really needed. I read it again when I purchased my copy. Just for pleasure. And it was even more pleasurable on a second and third read.

True pleasure, innocent or wicked, especially sex and love/romance and the price and reward of all of it is what I get out of HOBBLE, a contemporary, erotic/sensual romance. The triangle of love/sex/and betrayal includes BENNET GILLESPIE, a Native American hero/anti-hero, burned out, medical professional; DAY, a lovely and very messed up in dangerous ways, half African American beauty, who wavers between total innocent and things neither your mother nor father ever told you to do in or out of bed; and her "legal guardian", a transplanted Brit named Hopkins, who Anthony Hopkins could play to the T. This is a fast, deep, and sexy as h-e-double-hockey-sticks [This site said no profanity.] read.

Neale Sourna is a hot writer in MANY ways.

HOT! and extremely intriguing. Skewed but right on, too. My former significant other managed to get me to painlessly read all of Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series and the "good parts" of a Zane novel but HOBBLE is my latest whole and spot reread. Neale [I did say hot.] also appears on the cover in two different photos as the female lead--with a friggin' BLOODY KNIFE. Tres cool.

Jut about any page of HOBBLE is a "good part". A page 27? of The Godfather, ALIAS in a sexy, hot and kinky or sweet outfit, getting lost and found in Victoria's Secret anything kind of good part. And Sourna's "Benn" has real doubts, real lust, real brain and moral failure in the presence of that ultimate girl/woman that we get and "Day" IS the woman you want BUT the girl you fear, the kind who truly means she'll "do anything to get what" she wants. Who she wants. Look at the cover and take away the knife [unless you like that sort of thing] and imagine Neale Sourna's cover girl wanting NO ONE but you, and knowing exactly what you want better than you do; and delivering it.

I ordered extra copies by 877-BUY-BOOK [877-289-2665] and online from the publisher [shipped in 2 days] and sent them out over the holidays to a buddy of mine a urban busdriver and another brother, who can't get it back from his now "horny" [his word not mine] wife, who evidently likes the book. So, there is a bunch of us here in Cleveland who can't wait to read more from her. Try a quick read of her posted excerpts from HOBBLE [ranging from mild to hot, depending on what page of the site your on] and soon to come other works--each is different and a mindshift, which is why I had to interview her....This is my recommendation. This Neale Sourna is as hot inside the covers, as she is outside on her cover. YOU REALLY MUST READ THIS!! Most absolutely.