Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In his new novel, Lowenthal returns to the intermingled themes that characterized his first (The Same Embrace): gay identity and Jewish family dynamics. Here, however, it's not coming out that precipitates crisis; it's the decision of a long-time gay couple to have a baby. Pat, weary of his partner Stu's philandering, proposes that the two move from swinging Manhattan to isolated Cape Cod, the perfect place (according to Pat) to raise a family. At first Stu resists, but when he realizes that he may provide his father's only hope for a Jewish grandchild, the two men set out to find a surrogate mother. Debora seems perfect, but her hidden longings and Pat's own latent desires, not to mention Stu's familial turmoil, soon complicate everyone's plans. A style that privileges immediacy of feeling over precision of craft can feel spontaneous or, at weaker moments, unpolished. Nevertheless, readers-both gay and straight-will come away from Lowenthal's novel with a deeper understanding not only of the ethical issues surrounding surrogacy, but also of the ever-evolving gay community. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
Pat and Stu are a long-term gay couple struggling to stay connected; Pat worries he is losing Stu to a world of cruising made ever easier by the Internet. Like many couples before them, they decide a baby, long a wish of Pat's, will help solidify their family. One move to Cape Cod later, they are interviewing surrogates when they meet Debora and her husband, Danny, who seem perfect. The intimacy of the surrogate relationship and the complications of getting pregnant soon absorb both couples; Pat and Debora grow closer, but Stu begins to pull away as attempt after attempt fails. Most readers will predict the action of the novel, but the characters are thoughtfully drawn, and the emotions and stresses of artificial insemination (AI) are sympathetically, but realistically, portrayed. Never easy, the AI here is further complicated by how society, family, friends, and even Pat and Stu see gay men as father material. Verdict Lowenthal (The Same Embrace: Avoidance; Charity Girl) offers a solid read on how relationships hold up or wither away under great stress and what it means to be a family. Sure to appeal to both heterosexual and gay/lesbian readers.-Devon Thomas, Chelsea, MI (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
