Customer Reviews

The Kiss

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Should a gay celebrity come out of the closet, or stay in? It's a controversial question, that's received quite a bit of attention lately. G. A. Hauser's THE KISS approaches this issue in a remarkably refreshing way, providing candid insight both pro and con. As progressive as society may seem, prejudice remains, and the microscope that accompanies fame can be very destructive when its subject is sexuality.

The novel features three primary characters, Ian Sullivan, a frisky head turning 21 year old Englishman, Scott Epstein, a well built 25 year old former college quarterback, and Claire Sullivan, Scotts older sister and co-owner of Manhattan's top male modeling agency. Scott and Ian are models and aspiring actors and Claire represents them both.

Scott's been trying to catch his big break for awhile, but his rugged masculine looks aren't what advertisers are currently looking for, and Claire has a difficult time finding him work. They share an apartment and Claire basically supports him. Ian, on the other hand, has just moved to New York and has an almost androgynous beauty that Claire is certain will sell in a market starved for pretty boys.

Claire worries about Scott. His career is stalled and his love life isn't much better. He's had a string of dumb blonde girlfriends that haven't lasted long. When Scott displays an uncharacteristic interest in a head shot of Ian that Claire brings home from work one evening, it piques Claire's curiosity about Scott's sexuality. When her agency gets a call for two models for a new gum commercial featuring a same sex kiss, Claire sends Scott and Ian to be interviewed and they are hired on the spot. The commercial's kiss is an advertising first, and will be aired during the coming Super bowl. The ad is certain to garner the two men quite a bit of media attention.

At the beginning of this whirlwind story Scott and Ian consider themselves to be straight. Neither one has ever been consciously attracted to another man. But Scott and Ian have never really been in love either. When the two men discover that they're falling hard for each other, they are shocked, but incredibly excited. The situation is new for them and they don't even know what two men do together sexually, but they're very quick learners. Both, however, are extremely career driven and determined to keep their relationship a deep secret, even from domineering Claire. Well established celebrities can risk coming out of the closet, but young wannabes dare not take the chance.

Through Scott's and Ian's budding relationship, Hauser cleverly explores not only the internal and societal pressures faced when a man discovers he's gay and in love with another man, but also the ramifications that discovery can have on a man's path towards stardom. Both Ian and Scott want to be famous and they want to be together. Will the truth set them free, or will it bring their world crumbling down around them? It's a difficult question, and Hauser leaves no stone unturned answering it.

I enjoy "The Physician and the Actor", was less impressed with "For Love and Money" but "The Kiss" and the writer's latest release, "The Naked Dragon" definitely rock.

In "The Kiss", we have a romance between an American, Scott, and an Englishman, Ian. As in "For Love and Money", Ian too is the adorable young Englishman trying to make it in the States. While the couple in "For Love and Money" leave me sometimes frustrated, Scott and Ian have me rooting for them till the end. These 2 young men who have been straights throughout their lives have their very foundations uprooted when they find themselves falling in love with each other after "The Kiss" in a commercial they starred together in. Thereon their romance is engaging, heartfelt and delightful, as these 2 very likable young men struggle to hide their love from the public including one bitchy and manipulative Claire (Scott's high flying corporate sister). I do not favor female leads in a gay romance but Claire's role in this story is essential as this dominating yet credible character more or less dictate the direction of the couple's lives. She is overbearing and even a little jealous of Ian when she discovers her little brother falling for Ian. But underneath she is still the caring and supportive big sister. The writer's prose in this delightful romance is very engaging, and there are some pretty amusing moments which have me chuckling aloud. As for Scott and Ian they are a most endearing pair, and I certainly like the idea of Ian's androgynous beauty.

I highly recommend "The Kiss" and of course the writer's latest gay cop/FBI agent thriller romance, "The Naked Dragon" which have me at the edge of my seat until the end. I hope this latest is available in print too!

I look forward to more M/M romance from this highly prolific writer. Plots take precedence over sex in her M/M romance erotica which I appreciate.

This is the second book I read by G.A. Hauser and it's a confirmation of her ability to enthral me. I really try to finish it in one night but it's impossible, fortunately you have a lot to read and I have to put down the book at 2.00 a.m. but as soon as I can I finish it.

This is the story of Scott, 25 years old unsuccessful model and actor: it's the typical american male, muscalar and tanned, with a boy next door face. He is an average guy in a world where you have plenty of average guys who try to find their way to the stardom. But Scott have something more: he has an old sister, who happens to be the owner of one of the most important agency model of New York. And so Scott, one time or two, gets a job and meanwhile he lives behind his sister's shoulders. The next job will be an ad commercial for a gum: he has to kiss a male. No problem, he is an actor... but it's not so simple cause Ian, the other model, is a beautiful androginous guy who draws Scott like a magnet. And the interest seems mutual.

But when Scott and Ian finally let the passion drive them, they discover that none of the two has never neither kiss a man. They wrongly believe the other gay, and now they have this passion between them and... they want to share it. And so begins a clandestine relationship but nor Scott or Ian are the usual perfect characters of novels. Scott is insecure and has a deeply feeling of failure; and he is also jelously of the instant success of Ian, the new guy in the city. Ian, 21 years old, is for the first time far away from home and from his parents. He is like a child who suffers the lontanance from his mother. He is a simple guy and he is open with his feeling, but he is like a teenager with his first crush: everyone around him can demolish his certainty.

And then there is Claire, Scott's sister. She has a main role in the novel, she is the instigator of all what happen to Scott and Ian, but she is not like a fairy godmother... She is a bitchy woman who amuses herself playing the role of God in the other life, and like the Greek Gods, when humans don't play according to her rules, she became a fiery beast.

And so here again the magic of Hauser, who manages to write a perfect story with imperfect characters. Some of the novelty from the first novel (For Love and Money) is again played in this second book, the English young guy who has to live among the stranger american people, and the fascination of this people for the naiveté of him, but all right, if a trick works a time, can works also a second, doesn't it? So all right, Hauser has hit a certain button, who can blame her? Not certain me, that after reading this story have spent 25 dollars ship costs to buy the prequel of For Love and Money, only available as print book!

First the story: it's not bad, keeps moving, has an interesting premise nicely developed. As a story, I'd give it probably 3 stars, maybe even 4.

The problem is the writing itself. When an author writes a book and charges money for it, the reader should have a reasonable expectation that the author is not illiterate, with more than a high-school knowledge of how language is written, and that the book has been proofread before publishing. I'm not talking about elegance here, or "literary quality"--just about basic English grammar, spelling, and usage. One should not have to stop reading, go back and figure out what was really meant: it's like driving along enjoying the scenery, when suddenly you are jolted by a pothole.

For example, even elementary-school children are taught the correct usage of to-too, lie-lay, where-were, sit-set, and who-whom. And I might be considered pedantic by pointing out that the spelling "alright," while accepted in informal writing, is still considered nonstandard--except that the spelling "all right" also occurs. One should at least expect consistency. And is it pedantic to point out that "nonetheless" is one word, not three?

Then there are the repeated incidents of words that sound like the words intended, but just don't pass in a written text that apparently was never proofread by more than a computerized spell checker. One does not eat "lobster tales" and actors play "roles," not "rolls." The British expletive is "Bollocks!" not "Bullocks!" And there are numerous instances of using "passed" when the word meant is "past." One's interest (or whatever) is "piqued," not "peaked."

Verb tenses also suffer. The past tense of "strut" is "strutted," of "ring" is "rang" (not "rung"). I won't enumerate the errors of spelling.

Since I actually liked the story, I thought I'd try another Hauser book, just to be fair. I stopped after hitting two "potholes" in the first two pages. This author simply doesn't know the language, and is permanently off my list.

The writing in itself was fine, the author definitly is very talented but as per the description I expected this story to be told from the point of view from one of the guys. This is a gay romance novel after all but no, the main voice or the only voice in the book is that of a woman, Claire. If I wanted to listen to a woman describing a love affraid I would have bought one of the 'normal' romance novels.

I find it mind boggling that someone could decide to write a gay romance from the point of view of a woman...all the good emotions, the falling in love are viewed from an outside so despite the excellent writing and great idea, this was the worst book for me and I would not recommened any one to buy it.

I definitly regret it.

Wow, am I disappointed in this book! The premise sounded so good, but the story itself is poorly written. Very amateurish - simple sentence structure, dull dialogue, very little depth to the characters. There is hardly any sexual tension between the leads, and the sex itself is boring. But by far the worst element is the sister, Claire. She is vapid, manipulative, interfering, whiny and nagging, and all for no apparent reason. She claims to care so much for her brother but Hauser certainly didn't have her actions reflect that, and she adds nothing to the story. Definitely not worth the money - my first and last read of this author.

I cant believe somebody here said that Claire was a "caring sister", i have never seen such a spiteful, jealous, and annoying character in any other book. She suspects throughout the book that her brother and Ian are gay and yet she tries to seduce Ian, she must have been thinking of her brother when she tried to seduce his lover, i can see how one would see her as a caring sister. At the end she said it was her plan to get them together, so then why would she try to seduce Ian? She spends the whole book hounding them about their relationship as if its any of her business, i wanted one of them to smack her and tell her to mind her own darn business...

The characters are well fleshed out and likable. Even Claire, who is the ever-meddling big sister in her brother's sex life. The two men, Scott and Ian are adorable and flawed at the same time. You can feel their pain and their passion. One novel you'll keep moving through quickly to find out how they end up. Highly recommended.

I loved this book!!! I loved the premise and wish to the Goddess the commercial would be made!!!! (YUMMY) The characters were not the typical cardboard cut outs. There was mixed emotions, confusion and yearning. The smex was hot.
Totally disagree with the criticism. If you are looking for a good read look no further!

IMO this author created no heat between the two main characters; Scott and Ian. In fact, just the opposite because it seemed liked they joked through not only their first sexual encounter but each one after that. The first sexual encounter in any fiction book is supposed to be sensual and erotic. These two seemed to be joking all the time. It left me cold and feeling short-changed.
I found Ian's dialogue of British slang annoying after awhile. I know that the author is living in England and the Brits have a slang word for everything. To me it was overdone.
There was a continual reference to Scott's father pushing his buttons when he was little and how that made an impression on him as an adult...yet the father never made an appearance - ever. I am a firm believer whether I read it or see it in a movie -DON'T INCLUDE A THREAD UNLESS IT IS FOLLOWED UP!
Repetitious dialogue between Scott and his sister Claire and repetitious actions wore me down. How many times can I read that Claire picked up something for supper.
I also didn't feel that Ian, the beautiful god of man was developed enough. 'Cheers mate' is not enough.