"Galley Proof"

Review - "Galley Proof" by Eric Arvin

Fantastic, romantic, funny

Very Highly Recommended

Logan Brandish is a successful, accomplished writer.  Not a mega star, but with enough imagination and talent to have a nice career.  But lately he has been in a bit of a rut.  His writing has stalled and he has been running though editors.  And meeting his new one, he hoped to present a good front and maybe fake his way through it.

In walks Brock Kimble, a man as unlikely as his name.  Good looking, hot, smart, unexpected.  And he pulls no punches in shaking things up for Logan.  Telling him that lately his is crap and challenging him to do more and better.  And flirting all the time.  Keeping Logan on his toes.

And Logan reacts. Changes up his writing.  Breaks up with his safe and predictable boyfriend.  Start us an affair with Brock.  Starts to fall in love.

Oh hell.

Logan's writing is tied to his moods.  When it is going well, it flows.  Then when things start to fall apart, so does his writing.

And when it all goes to hell - his love life, his writing, his mind - he jumps ship and hauls tail to Europe and lands in Italy.

Will breaking his routines revive Logan's writing?  Will he get over Brock?  Will he ever go home again?

Eric Arvin doesn't fool me one bit.  He is an unabashed romantic.  This hilarious romp of a book is also one of the most insightful and touching books I have seen in a while.  All the while he is tickling our funny bones, he is aiming more for our heartstrings.  And damn, but he succeeds.

Logan is a wonderful character - snug in his safe world, safe little town, safe home, safe relationship, safe career.  All the while thinking he has everyone fooled, perhaps even himself, he is really an open book for anyone who cares enough to see to read.

And Brock.  All that energy, fun and sparkle masking a sad and lonely work in progress.

Both men yearn for the connection, for the love and passion.  When it it right in their hands, right there for the taking, both bail and run away so fast their heads spin.

Along the way these two learn so many lessons. 

Lessons about relationships:
"In real life, kisses are never as sweet and assholes only stretch so far."

Lessons about life:
"...if he could just stare a little bit harder at a problem he might find the solution.  But solutions to those types of problems are hard to find, because they're so locked up in other people's minds and hearts."

Lessons about themselves:
"...it's a trap of my own making.  I want the attention, you see, but I'm scared to death when it's there."

And lessons about love:
"...as if love was a great blanket we were slowly unfurling through the night, appreciating every stitch and every thread.  Every intricate and unique pattern.  We kept ourselves warm wrapped up in it."

This is one of those books that is like that great blanket.  I take it and appreciate it and wrap it around me and learn about myself some too.

And then:

"She nodded her head in approval and hesitantly shut the book, breathing a reader's sigh.  That wonderful inhale/exhale reaction one does after finishing a book that has somehow touched you.  Completion.  Inner peace.  Separate peace."

So did I.  It did.

Tom