Sexual Healing

Sexual Healing - Shawn Bailey A Hearts On Fire Review

TWO HEARTS--Fashion photographer Ezra Benedict suffers from erectile dysfunction due to seeing his ex boyfriend cheat on him in the flesh. He's twenty-seven and can't get it up for no man. Until a sexy young model who is also a female and becomes erect, a first in over two years. Ezra has never been aroused by a woman in his life. but can't seem to get Maya, the model out of his mind. Ezra later moves to Japan for a job and meets Maya again but this time school boy Maya, not a female at all.

If you think this story is going to deal with cross dressing, this book does not. I expected further explanation into Maya's female persona but it was brushed off and forgotten. This was the start of more issues with the story.

I am not going to get into the need for editing. There was word confusion, day confusion [the couple makes plan to meet on Saturday. then proceed to have their date on Sunday. And no it was not a 24 hour date] or characters forgetting points made previously [Maya already stating he was out to his family to Ezra. Then Ezra forgetting Maya was out openly]. I tried to take the story seriously. I tried.

Than 58% happened:

"Marvin Gaye?"

Maya nodded from across the room and began dancing over toward him. "I'm trying to stimulate you. This is going to be our song, so every time you hear it you're going to seek me out."

The next time I hear "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye, I will remember its use for curing one man's erectile dysfunction.

What nineteen-year-old would think to heal a potential sexual partner's ED with Marvin Gaye? Granted, the song is still a hot one however many years later...but I don't know any nineteen-year-olds that would choose Marvin Gaye for their sexy times presently. And Maya knew the words and danced that erection to perfection.

In fact everything Maya did was short of divine. *rolls eyes* He's so beautiful, so smart, so kind, speaks English fluently and eloquently (he's self taught because deities do so on a normal basis). Maya is so perfect. He can sing and dance you to a boner. And according to Ezra, Maya is the owner of "healing properties".

Maya and Ezra's dialogue left much to be desired. A lot of the time it came off as awkward demands with creepy vibes. There was not enough characterization. There was nothing remarkable with any of the characters. They were all flat, just like this story.

As the story progressed, a jealous ex-boyfriend was dumped onto the weak story to make it read like a second rate junior high school romance. There was nothing memorable...okay maybe the Marvin Gaye ED moment will stick. *cue drum roll*

For a Japanophile, this book would be a wet dream. The descriptions of the Japanese culture is pretty good. I wish such detail went into the romance and the story telling.

I will summarize this story with an actual quote from the book:

"In fact they looked like two awkward teenage at their first high school hop."

It was like reading cardboard cutouts awkwardly force their way into insta-love. And the ending? The last line with Maya thanking Ezra for making him responsible for him. *shakes head*

One dimensional all around.

But the setting is nice enough so I added the extra star. And props for the most original usage of a Marvin Gaye song.