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Orientation
Christmas, 1983: A young man, Robert, tends to his soul mate, Keith, who is dying from AIDS. Robert tries valiantly to make this a special Christmas for his lover, but loses the fight late Christmas night. Christmas, 2007: Robert ventures out late Christmas night and finds a young girl about to fling herself into the unforgiving waters of Lake Michigan. He rescues her, and the two form a bond forged from an odd feeling they share of familiarity, and even love. Neither understands it, since Jess is a lesbian and Robert has never been attracted to women. But there's more ... Jess begins having strange dreams, reliving key moments she couldn't know about in Keith and Robert's life and courtship. Robert and Jess begin to wonder if their inexplicable feelings might be rooted in something much more mystical than a savior/victim relationship. As the two move toward and pull away from each other, Ethan, Robert's younger lover, plots the unthinkable. His crystal meth-addled mind becomes convinced there's only one way to save himself, and that is through Robert's destruction. Christmas 2007 spirals downward to a shattering climax in which both love and lives hang in the balance. There's a murder attempt ... salvation ... redemption ... And a new love is born. [Genres: Gay / Lesbian / Paranormal / Mystery]
166 pages, Nook
First published May 7, 2008
1 person is currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Rick R. Reed
124 books1,045 followersReal Men. True Love.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.
Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”
Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.
Rick R. Reed is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than sixty works of published fiction, spanning genres such as horror, psychological suspense and love stories. He is a Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Rainbow Award winner.
Entertainment Weekly has described his work as “heartrending and sensitive.” Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…”
Find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his two rescue dogs, Kodi and Joaquin.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 12, 2016
This story broke my heart.
The first chapter takes place during Christmas of 1983 and starts out with Robert nursing his lover, Keith, who is dying of AIDS. Robert goes through a lot of expense to have the house decorated and prepares a lavish meal that Keith will never enjoy. Keith dies Christmas night. This chapter was very hard for me to read, as I lost a very dear friend to AIDS in 1995. Robert's pain and suffering was so vivid and heart wrenching. His love and devotion for Keith was so real and palpable. I just couldn't stop crying.
Chapter 2 takes place during Christmas of 2007. Robert is 46 years old and living with his drug-addicted young lover, Ethan. Again, Robert prepares a lavish meal that goes to waste while Ethan is out and he drinks gin & tonics while remembering his loss 24 years before. While out for an evening walk, Robert comes across a young woman about to drown herself. Robert talks her out of it, brings her home, and has this sense of knowing her before. In time, Robert and Jess become very close and care deeply for each other, despite the fact that Jess is a lesbian. Jess begins to have dreams and recalls incidents from Keith’s and Robert’s past.
I loved how well this story explores love, loss, grief, and loneliness. I loved the mouth-watering descriptions of Robert's food preparation, and the ravages of Ethan's drug addiction and his emotional state. It all felt very real to me.
I didn't care for the reincarnation theme. It just wasn't explored thoroughly enough and felt a bit hokey to me. I also was disappointed in the ending, which felt contrived and diminished the power of this beautiful and moving story.
The first chapter takes place during Christmas of 1983 and starts out with Robert nursing his lover, Keith, who is dying of AIDS. Robert goes through a lot of expense to have the house decorated and prepares a lavish meal that Keith will never enjoy. Keith dies Christmas night. This chapter was very hard for me to read, as I lost a very dear friend to AIDS in 1995. Robert's pain and suffering was so vivid and heart wrenching. His love and devotion for Keith was so real and palpable. I just couldn't stop crying.
Chapter 2 takes place during Christmas of 2007. Robert is 46 years old and living with his drug-addicted young lover, Ethan. Again, Robert prepares a lavish meal that goes to waste while Ethan is out and he drinks gin & tonics while remembering his loss 24 years before. While out for an evening walk, Robert comes across a young woman about to drown herself. Robert talks her out of it, brings her home, and has this sense of knowing her before. In time, Robert and Jess become very close and care deeply for each other, despite the fact that Jess is a lesbian. Jess begins to have dreams and recalls incidents from Keith’s and Robert’s past.
I loved how well this story explores love, loss, grief, and loneliness. I loved the mouth-watering descriptions of Robert's food preparation, and the ravages of Ethan's drug addiction and his emotional state. It all felt very real to me.
I didn't care for the reincarnation theme. It just wasn't explored thoroughly enough and felt a bit hokey to me. I also was disappointed in the ending, which felt contrived and diminished the power of this beautiful and moving story.
November 20, 2008
From Front Street Reviews
Reviewed by Araminta Matthews
"I have never read a romance novel. Can't stand the idea of them. I am of the theory that romance novels are for the romance-less, a commodity I have thankfully never been without. Rick Reed's Orientation is a romance novel, but it is unlike anything I ever imagined romance novels could be. It is a feminist testimony, it is an earthquake to the infrastructure of stereotyped sexuality, and it is a blessing to believers in an infinite universe.
Let me begin by explaining that, as a member of the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queerstioning) community, I am often on the hunt for literature that I can relate to – that is, literature with a GLBTQ lifestyle theme or slant that captures my interest. For me, the mark of truly great GLBTQ fiction is that it is a story first with queer characters second. So much of this "specialized literature" expresses its characters as though being gay is the only thing that happens in a gay person's life, when in fact, being gay is just one small pebble in the riverbed of a person's entire soul. People are more than just their sexualities, and there is much more to life than with whom a person chooses to be intimate. Rick Reed's novel, Orientation, succeeds. The characters are not just homosexual stereotypes living a cliché life. They are real, believable, and whole, and they are engaged in a plot deeper than just their "coming out" or their "queeritude". And the story is as eerie as it is romantic.
The story begins in Christmas with Robert watching heart-breakingly over his lover, Keith, as he begins his journey toward death; moves through a Christmas stroll along the beach and a suicide intervention with a young lesbian, Jess; and culminates with a metaphysical reunion during the Christmas of 2007 with both Robert and Jess and the spirit of lovers past.
In spite of its fantastical plot, I never once felt like this story was contrived. I believed from moment one that everything Reed presented was not only possible, but plausible. That slippery veil that separates the reality of the reader from the fantasy of the story hung silkily over my eyes for every, single word I swallowed. The dialogue was real and engaging. The characters were whole and every one of them completely realized. The plot was poetic and emotional. The conclusion was the correct, heady mix of triumphant resolution with the characters' closure and bittersweet disappointment with the ending of a very good book. The good news is Reed has more books that I can read, and I can only imagine that his other novels are equally as deft and crafty as this.
In final words, let me express my excitement about this discovery. GLBTQ world, listen up! This author, Rick Reed, is the real deal. He tells the real stories. He challenges the myth that sexual orientation is fixed or stationary when it is more likely on an ever-changing scale. He shakes open myths about gender roles, and he reinvents the wheel of the romance novel. Thanks to Rick Reed, we are no longer stuck with tired coming out stories and floundering clichés."
Reviewed by Araminta Matthews
"I have never read a romance novel. Can't stand the idea of them. I am of the theory that romance novels are for the romance-less, a commodity I have thankfully never been without. Rick Reed's Orientation is a romance novel, but it is unlike anything I ever imagined romance novels could be. It is a feminist testimony, it is an earthquake to the infrastructure of stereotyped sexuality, and it is a blessing to believers in an infinite universe.
Let me begin by explaining that, as a member of the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queerstioning) community, I am often on the hunt for literature that I can relate to – that is, literature with a GLBTQ lifestyle theme or slant that captures my interest. For me, the mark of truly great GLBTQ fiction is that it is a story first with queer characters second. So much of this "specialized literature" expresses its characters as though being gay is the only thing that happens in a gay person's life, when in fact, being gay is just one small pebble in the riverbed of a person's entire soul. People are more than just their sexualities, and there is much more to life than with whom a person chooses to be intimate. Rick Reed's novel, Orientation, succeeds. The characters are not just homosexual stereotypes living a cliché life. They are real, believable, and whole, and they are engaged in a plot deeper than just their "coming out" or their "queeritude". And the story is as eerie as it is romantic.
The story begins in Christmas with Robert watching heart-breakingly over his lover, Keith, as he begins his journey toward death; moves through a Christmas stroll along the beach and a suicide intervention with a young lesbian, Jess; and culminates with a metaphysical reunion during the Christmas of 2007 with both Robert and Jess and the spirit of lovers past.
In spite of its fantastical plot, I never once felt like this story was contrived. I believed from moment one that everything Reed presented was not only possible, but plausible. That slippery veil that separates the reality of the reader from the fantasy of the story hung silkily over my eyes for every, single word I swallowed. The dialogue was real and engaging. The characters were whole and every one of them completely realized. The plot was poetic and emotional. The conclusion was the correct, heady mix of triumphant resolution with the characters' closure and bittersweet disappointment with the ending of a very good book. The good news is Reed has more books that I can read, and I can only imagine that his other novels are equally as deft and crafty as this.
In final words, let me express my excitement about this discovery. GLBTQ world, listen up! This author, Rick Reed, is the real deal. He tells the real stories. He challenges the myth that sexual orientation is fixed or stationary when it is more likely on an ever-changing scale. He shakes open myths about gender roles, and he reinvents the wheel of the romance novel. Thanks to Rick Reed, we are no longer stuck with tired coming out stories and floundering clichés."
November 16, 2009
***WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS***
To say this book is a really exceptionally physiological, mind blowing mind-fawking written story is an understatement and doesn't do it justice. When I read BASHED I gave it an applause but after reading this story I not only applauded Rick but I also give him a standing ovation and bow down to the MASTER himself.
I will admit I have a hard shell to crack, but honest to admit that never have I felt such intense turmoil, emotions, both physical and mental impact me when reading a book such as this one. When the character suffered from his loss, I suffered along with him. He shed tears, I shed them. When the character was high on meth, damn if I didn't get high with him and honest to God I wondered if I was going to need rehab along with him when the time came. If I wasn't grinding my teeth I was clenching my teeth till my gums and jaw hurt and feeling a spine tingling chill from paragraph to paragraph that seeped deep into my bones and now fragile state of mind. I just finished it, so that's my view coming from the heart. Mine.
This story not only touches you but will reach out from the words on the pages and leap at you, leaving you sitting in stunned silence after The End to the point it will vibrate to your very chore.
To say this book is a really exceptionally physiological, mind blowing mind-fawking written story is an understatement and doesn't do it justice. When I read BASHED I gave it an applause but after reading this story I not only applauded Rick but I also give him a standing ovation and bow down to the MASTER himself.
I will admit I have a hard shell to crack, but honest to admit that never have I felt such intense turmoil, emotions, both physical and mental impact me when reading a book such as this one. When the character suffered from his loss, I suffered along with him. He shed tears, I shed them. When the character was high on meth, damn if I didn't get high with him and honest to God I wondered if I was going to need rehab along with him when the time came. If I wasn't grinding my teeth I was clenching my teeth till my gums and jaw hurt and feeling a spine tingling chill from paragraph to paragraph that seeped deep into my bones and now fragile state of mind. I just finished it, so that's my view coming from the heart. Mine.
This story not only touches you but will reach out from the words on the pages and leap at you, leaving you sitting in stunned silence after The End to the point it will vibrate to your very chore.
February 23, 2021
WHOA, I loved it!
Rick R. Reed crafts a beautiful story here, and so exciting! Up to the very last moment I had no idea how it was going to end.
Just wonderful.
Rick R. Reed crafts a beautiful story here, and so exciting! Up to the very last moment I had no idea how it was going to end.
Just wonderful.
July 7, 2016
It takes a lot of heart to write the kind of books Rick R. Reed does. To riff on the phrase "Life is easy; COMEDY is hard" ..... writing about sex is easy, writing about LOVE can be almost impossible, especially if your heart is not fully engaged in the journey. And you can see Rick's heart on every page.
Orientation weaves a tapestry strand by strand - first Robert and Keith, then Ethan ... Jess ... Tony. Each life builds upon, and touches, the others. For me, Keith is almost the most vivid character, even though he is so lightly framed. And, although the ending felt rushed to me, it's a testimony to the way Rick writes that .
Orientation weaves a tapestry strand by strand - first Robert and Keith, then Ethan ... Jess ... Tony. Each life builds upon, and touches, the others. For me, Keith is almost the most vivid character, even though he is so lightly framed. And, although the ending felt rushed to me, it's a testimony to the way Rick writes that .
April 6, 2010
Simply one of the best gay themed stories I've ever read. Brave and original, Orientation challenges the reader to question what love really is; something physical, emotional, or spiritual? This one deserves to be one of the great gay classics.
February 7, 2013
This is my review of this book as printed on Front Street Reviews when I originally read it in 2008. It holds true today:
I have never read a romance novel. Can't stand the idea of them. I am of the theory that romance novels are for the romance-less, a commodity I have thankfully never been without. Rick Reed's Orientation is a romance novel, but it is unlike anything I ever imagined romance novels could be. It is a feminist testimony, it is an earthquake to the infrastructure of stereotyped sexuality, and it is a blessing to believers in an infinite universe.
Let me begin by explaining that, as a member of the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queerstioning) community, I am often on the hunt for literature that I can relate to – that is, literature with a GLBTQ lifestyle theme or slant that captures my interest. For me, the mark of truly great GLBTQ fiction is that it is a story first with queer characters second. So much of this "specialized literature" expresses its characters as though being gay is the only thing that happens in a gay person's life, when in fact, being gay is just one small pebble in the riverbed of a person's entire soul. People are more than just their sexualities, and there is much more to life than with whom a person chooses to be intimate. Rick Reed's novel, Orientation, succeeds. The characters are not just homosexual stereotypes living a cliché life. They are real, believable, and whole, and they are engaged in a plot deeper than just their "coming out" or their "queeritude". And the story is as eerie as it is romantic.
The story begins in Christmas with Robert watching heart-breakingly over his lover, Keith, as he begins his journey toward death; moves through a Christmas stroll along the beach and a suicide intervention with a young lesbian, Jess; and culminates with a metaphysical reunion during the Christmas of 2007 with both Robert and Jess and the spirit of lovers past.
In spite of its fantastical plot, I never once felt like this story was contrived. I believed from moment one that everything Reed presented was not only possible, but plausible. That slippery veil that separates the reality of the reader from the fantasy of the story hung silkily over my eyes for every, single word I swallowed. The dialogue was real and engaging. The characters were whole and every one of them completely realized. The plot was poetic and emotional. The conclusion was the correct, heady mix of triumphant resolution with the characters' closure and bittersweet disappointment with the ending of a very good book. The good news is Reed has more books that I can read, and I can only imagine that his other novels are equally as deft and crafty as this.
In final words, let me express my excitement about this discovery. GLBTQ world, listen up! This author, Rick Reed, is the real deal. He tells the real stories. He challenges the myth that sexual orientation is fixed or stationary when it is more likely on an ever-changing scale. He shakes open myths about gender roles, and he reinvents the wheel of the romance novel. Thanks to Rick Reed, we are no longer stuck with tired coming out stories and floundering clichés.
I have never read a romance novel. Can't stand the idea of them. I am of the theory that romance novels are for the romance-less, a commodity I have thankfully never been without. Rick Reed's Orientation is a romance novel, but it is unlike anything I ever imagined romance novels could be. It is a feminist testimony, it is an earthquake to the infrastructure of stereotyped sexuality, and it is a blessing to believers in an infinite universe.
Let me begin by explaining that, as a member of the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queerstioning) community, I am often on the hunt for literature that I can relate to – that is, literature with a GLBTQ lifestyle theme or slant that captures my interest. For me, the mark of truly great GLBTQ fiction is that it is a story first with queer characters second. So much of this "specialized literature" expresses its characters as though being gay is the only thing that happens in a gay person's life, when in fact, being gay is just one small pebble in the riverbed of a person's entire soul. People are more than just their sexualities, and there is much more to life than with whom a person chooses to be intimate. Rick Reed's novel, Orientation, succeeds. The characters are not just homosexual stereotypes living a cliché life. They are real, believable, and whole, and they are engaged in a plot deeper than just their "coming out" or their "queeritude". And the story is as eerie as it is romantic.
The story begins in Christmas with Robert watching heart-breakingly over his lover, Keith, as he begins his journey toward death; moves through a Christmas stroll along the beach and a suicide intervention with a young lesbian, Jess; and culminates with a metaphysical reunion during the Christmas of 2007 with both Robert and Jess and the spirit of lovers past.
In spite of its fantastical plot, I never once felt like this story was contrived. I believed from moment one that everything Reed presented was not only possible, but plausible. That slippery veil that separates the reality of the reader from the fantasy of the story hung silkily over my eyes for every, single word I swallowed. The dialogue was real and engaging. The characters were whole and every one of them completely realized. The plot was poetic and emotional. The conclusion was the correct, heady mix of triumphant resolution with the characters' closure and bittersweet disappointment with the ending of a very good book. The good news is Reed has more books that I can read, and I can only imagine that his other novels are equally as deft and crafty as this.
In final words, let me express my excitement about this discovery. GLBTQ world, listen up! This author, Rick Reed, is the real deal. He tells the real stories. He challenges the myth that sexual orientation is fixed or stationary when it is more likely on an ever-changing scale. He shakes open myths about gender roles, and he reinvents the wheel of the romance novel. Thanks to Rick Reed, we are no longer stuck with tired coming out stories and floundering clichés.
January 21, 2012
In this interesting story, the author separates love and sex in a novel way, and finds redemption for his characters when that seems impossible to achieve.
August 10, 2016
4.5 heartfelt stars
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and wow does he have a way with words. The first chapter ripped my heart to shreds. In the 80s I worked with the most awesome man who succumbed to AIDS so this story hit home something fierce.
Chapter two begins twenty-four years later, and thus begins the story of Robert, his live-in much younger partner, Ethan, their tumultuous relationship, and the introduction of Jess.
While the leading characters in this story are gay, the story is about so much more than sexual orientation. Ethan has a huge drug addiction and sees Robert as nothing more than a ‘sugar daddy.’ While high he carries out many dangerous acts, including partaking in club scenes, gangbangs etc. For a longtime I couldn’t fathom why Robert didn’t kick him out. Further on, I got it.
Jess is an interesting character, close to despair when a chance encounter, (or is it by chance?) puts her in the path of Robert and the two form a close bond.
The story is told from four point-of-views, so you get into the heads of Robert, Jess, Ethan and around the 60% mark Ethan’s dealer, Tony. I personally could’ve done without hearing the drug dealer’s POV. The reason I say that is because once I’m privy to a character’s thoughts and feelings I want to know more, and he kind of drops off before the curtain comes down.
I saw this story tagged as paranormal and worried it might take a turn for the unbelievable. However, the issue of whether Jess was Robert’s lover reincarnated, or not, was more fascinating than weird, least for me.
Even though the ending felt a little rushed, and the resolution rather unorthodox, the fact the leading characters were happy left me smiling and sated.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and wow does he have a way with words. The first chapter ripped my heart to shreds. In the 80s I worked with the most awesome man who succumbed to AIDS so this story hit home something fierce.
Chapter two begins twenty-four years later, and thus begins the story of Robert, his live-in much younger partner, Ethan, their tumultuous relationship, and the introduction of Jess.
While the leading characters in this story are gay, the story is about so much more than sexual orientation. Ethan has a huge drug addiction and sees Robert as nothing more than a ‘sugar daddy.’ While high he carries out many dangerous acts, including partaking in club scenes, gangbangs etc. For a longtime I couldn’t fathom why Robert didn’t kick him out. Further on, I got it.
Jess is an interesting character, close to despair when a chance encounter, (or is it by chance?) puts her in the path of Robert and the two form a close bond.
The story is told from four point-of-views, so you get into the heads of Robert, Jess, Ethan and around the 60% mark Ethan’s dealer, Tony. I personally could’ve done without hearing the drug dealer’s POV. The reason I say that is because once I’m privy to a character’s thoughts and feelings I want to know more, and he kind of drops off before the curtain comes down.
I saw this story tagged as paranormal and worried it might take a turn for the unbelievable. However, the issue of whether Jess was Robert’s lover reincarnated, or not, was more fascinating than weird, least for me.
Even though the ending felt a little rushed, and the resolution rather unorthodox, the fact the leading characters were happy left me smiling and sated.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
April 13, 2010
A harrowing, provocative read. Amber Quill sells this particular story in its romance section, but I have to say I don’t necessarily agree with that appellation. This is a love story, which is far more freeing than the genre definition of romance. More importantly, this is a story about self-identity, about trying to figure out who you are beyond the restriction of conventional labels.
The opening chapter is one of the most gutwrenching I've read in recent months, but the emotional tone shifts as the story progresses. Ethan's drug/sex addiction is graphically portrayed, and the focus trains on the novel's prevailing theme, that every individual in this world will, in some form or another, defy the label that has been placed upon him/her. Nobody is safe from this dissection. While the reincarnation device serves the theme well, it's a blunter tool than others utilized to convey the same message in the story, and thus, lacked some of the emotional resonance I found elsewhere. It wasn't nearly enough to detract from the overall experience, however. This stands as one of the best novels I've read in recent months.
The opening chapter is one of the most gutwrenching I've read in recent months, but the emotional tone shifts as the story progresses. Ethan's drug/sex addiction is graphically portrayed, and the focus trains on the novel's prevailing theme, that every individual in this world will, in some form or another, defy the label that has been placed upon him/her. Nobody is safe from this dissection. While the reincarnation device serves the theme well, it's a blunter tool than others utilized to convey the same message in the story, and thus, lacked some of the emotional resonance I found elsewhere. It wasn't nearly enough to detract from the overall experience, however. This stands as one of the best novels I've read in recent months.
April 28, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Orientation is like a jigsaw puzzle that begins with the pieces jumbled up in a box. Rick R. Reed gives his readers the foundations of the story, like the jigsaw’s corners and edges, and then slowly the picture comes into focus with a race for the end. We begin wondering about how Robert, Ethan, Jess, and the ghost of Keith can possibly fit together and the build-up of Orientation is slow, with Reed concentrating upon establishing his characters and their motives. I certainly admired Robert for his commitment to Keith, particularly the way in which he cared for him, but I wanted to shake Robert for his stupidity about Ethan. There are many instances in the book in which Robert considers confronting Ethan and he thinks “I should say . . . ” but usually this ends with his peacekeeping. Unfortunately for him, this actually seems like acquiescence and Robert is suspicious, but he chooses to be ignorant of the fact he is encouraging Ethan’s behavior. This is a complex matter though, and I do not think that Reed wishes his reader to condemn Robert for these actions. Instead, the insight that Reed gives his reader allows us to understand Robert’s neediness.
Orientation is a novel filled with light and dark. If Robert, with the abundance of love he has to offer, and Jess with her concern and openness, are the light then Ethan’s greed, excess, and narcissism represent the darkness. Not only that, but death haunts this story. Robert has become consumed by his grief after losing Keith; Ethan does not realize how close he is to the end of his life, but Robert’s death becomes his obsession; Robert and Jess meet as she is contemplating her own death, but in reality, she becomes Robert’s savior. However, Orientation is not a depressing novel because of this subject matter. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Reed cleverly combines this harsh reality with paranormal elements and I think Robert’s new connection with both Jess and Keith means I found the story heartening and comforting.
Read Kirsty’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Orientation is like a jigsaw puzzle that begins with the pieces jumbled up in a box. Rick R. Reed gives his readers the foundations of the story, like the jigsaw’s corners and edges, and then slowly the picture comes into focus with a race for the end. We begin wondering about how Robert, Ethan, Jess, and the ghost of Keith can possibly fit together and the build-up of Orientation is slow, with Reed concentrating upon establishing his characters and their motives. I certainly admired Robert for his commitment to Keith, particularly the way in which he cared for him, but I wanted to shake Robert for his stupidity about Ethan. There are many instances in the book in which Robert considers confronting Ethan and he thinks “I should say . . . ” but usually this ends with his peacekeeping. Unfortunately for him, this actually seems like acquiescence and Robert is suspicious, but he chooses to be ignorant of the fact he is encouraging Ethan’s behavior. This is a complex matter though, and I do not think that Reed wishes his reader to condemn Robert for these actions. Instead, the insight that Reed gives his reader allows us to understand Robert’s neediness.
Orientation is a novel filled with light and dark. If Robert, with the abundance of love he has to offer, and Jess with her concern and openness, are the light then Ethan’s greed, excess, and narcissism represent the darkness. Not only that, but death haunts this story. Robert has become consumed by his grief after losing Keith; Ethan does not realize how close he is to the end of his life, but Robert’s death becomes his obsession; Robert and Jess meet as she is contemplating her own death, but in reality, she becomes Robert’s savior. However, Orientation is not a depressing novel because of this subject matter. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Reed cleverly combines this harsh reality with paranormal elements and I think Robert’s new connection with both Jess and Keith means I found the story heartening and comforting.
Read Kirsty’s review in its entirety here.
October 25, 2008
Orientation takes reincarnation into account as the story illustrates well thought out reasoning to the fact that we don't choose who, where, or when we fall in love.
Interesting concept, one in which I find no disagreement. If you've ever questioned or are curious about how or why you've fallen in love, read Orientation. It might open your eyes to a new world.
Some disturbing depictions of drug abuse and the lifestyle associated with it, but accurately presented. I enjoyed Reed's real to life settings, characters, and motivations. Easy read and fast paced.
Interesting concept, one in which I find no disagreement. If you've ever questioned or are curious about how or why you've fallen in love, read Orientation. It might open your eyes to a new world.
Some disturbing depictions of drug abuse and the lifestyle associated with it, but accurately presented. I enjoyed Reed's real to life settings, characters, and motivations. Easy read and fast paced.
January 23, 2010
A little bit too gritty for my taste. Anything with more than one detailed description of vomit isn't going to be fluffy! This did have its fluffy moments, but they were more than offset by the reality checks of disease and drug abuse. Very powerfully written, the characters were real, and flawed, and the story a blend of high romance and the seamy side of life. It certainly invoked a range of emotion in me. But I don't think it is one I'm ever likely to read again.
April 9, 2011
I really don't have the words to do justice to this book. I think Rick has really outdone himself with this one. The story was poignant and heartwarming, but still had suspense and drama. It was balanced very well, but, again, I would expect nothing less from Rick Reed. Thanks, for another great read.
November 27, 2016
A ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Review. This review can also be found here.
Robert and his lover Ethan have drifted apart to the point that they are mere strangers living together. As things between them worsen Robert wonders if he ever truly loved anyone other than his first lover Keith.
Then on one particularly lonely night Robert comes across a suicidal girl, Jess but it appears that there is more going on between Jess and Robert than either can guess at first. But what exactly does this sense of familiarity and love translate to between a gay man and a lesbian?
I really think this book is a misnomer, I mean I don’t think it ever deals with orientation, I mean the characters in this book are not conflicted about their orientation and neither are they troubled by it. While this book ends on a note that kind of stresses orientation, this book is truly just a story of love.
It is a very engaging story. I read this book at a stretch; I just couldn’t put it down. It is a short book but what I liked about it is that the story never becomes predictable. What kept me turning the pages one after the other was the fact that I had no idea where this story would take me or how it would end.
Our MCs are Robert and Jessica who are both in ways dealing with loss. They bond over this fact but what truly makes them want to be with the other is the fact that there is a deeper sense of familiarity and love that underlies their meetings. Since the moment they met Jessica has felt that she is meeting someone she already knows and loves. Complicating this fact is that even though they feel love towards the other their orientations are completely incompatible. This story also follows two other characters, Ethan, Robert’s boyfriend and his drug dealer, Tony.
This story really focuses on its characters, you can sympathize with Robert’s desire to be blind to the obvious, to not have to face his boyfriend’s infidelities as well as his potentially lethal lifestyle and bury that under the joy of having someone else who understands his love for Keith. While Ethan’s struggle with his addiction is painful, he is wasting away and try as he might to climb out of the abyss he is in, he only ever manages to dig himself deeper. Tony’s guilt over being the reason many people have lost touch with themselves and his shame over not being able to give up the opportunity to make just a little more money is honest. And then there is Jess who is reeling form loss, is burdened by her lack of finances and struggling to understand these new feelings that have awakened in her… for a man…
This story really ties together the lives of these four characters and makes for a compelling read. This book is firstly about love and secondly about the human condition. It is an amazing read.
Cover Art by Wilde City Press. I liked the cover but I’m unsure as to how it relates to the story.
Robert and his lover Ethan have drifted apart to the point that they are mere strangers living together. As things between them worsen Robert wonders if he ever truly loved anyone other than his first lover Keith.
Then on one particularly lonely night Robert comes across a suicidal girl, Jess but it appears that there is more going on between Jess and Robert than either can guess at first. But what exactly does this sense of familiarity and love translate to between a gay man and a lesbian?
I really think this book is a misnomer, I mean I don’t think it ever deals with orientation, I mean the characters in this book are not conflicted about their orientation and neither are they troubled by it. While this book ends on a note that kind of stresses orientation, this book is truly just a story of love.
It is a very engaging story. I read this book at a stretch; I just couldn’t put it down. It is a short book but what I liked about it is that the story never becomes predictable. What kept me turning the pages one after the other was the fact that I had no idea where this story would take me or how it would end.
Our MCs are Robert and Jessica who are both in ways dealing with loss. They bond over this fact but what truly makes them want to be with the other is the fact that there is a deeper sense of familiarity and love that underlies their meetings. Since the moment they met Jessica has felt that she is meeting someone she already knows and loves. Complicating this fact is that even though they feel love towards the other their orientations are completely incompatible. This story also follows two other characters, Ethan, Robert’s boyfriend and his drug dealer, Tony.
This story really focuses on its characters, you can sympathize with Robert’s desire to be blind to the obvious, to not have to face his boyfriend’s infidelities as well as his potentially lethal lifestyle and bury that under the joy of having someone else who understands his love for Keith. While Ethan’s struggle with his addiction is painful, he is wasting away and try as he might to climb out of the abyss he is in, he only ever manages to dig himself deeper. Tony’s guilt over being the reason many people have lost touch with themselves and his shame over not being able to give up the opportunity to make just a little more money is honest. And then there is Jess who is reeling form loss, is burdened by her lack of finances and struggling to understand these new feelings that have awakened in her… for a man…
This story really ties together the lives of these four characters and makes for a compelling read. This book is firstly about love and secondly about the human condition. It is an amazing read.
Cover Art by Wilde City Press. I liked the cover but I’m unsure as to how it relates to the story.
November 25, 2013
I loved how this story made me feel things right along with the characters. There was love, loss, grief, desperation and loneliness. Rick R. Reed is such a wonderful author that these emotions will grab your heart and twist it. His words will put you right in the room with the characters, whether in the bath houses or the kitchen. You see what they see, you feel what they feel, and your heart either soars or breaks right along with them.
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
April 29, 2016
You could at least give me Ethan and Robert reborn romance. Or I thought Robert be with Keith in afterlife or smth like this.
Well, how the story goes is nice. Very.
But... Somehow it's not attractively written.
3,5 stars. And that's for Robert.
Well, how the story goes is nice. Very.
But... Somehow it's not attractively written.
3,5 stars. And that's for Robert.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2009
I've reviewed this title for my website, Untreed Reads. Please come read the full review at http://www.untreedreads.com .
April 15, 2025
This isn't a romance book, although it is about love. There were some thin spots in the storyline, but I was completely engrossed from beginning to end. Very interesting read.
November 28, 2010
Incredibly well written story with a very intriguing premise. It is angsty and haunting, but not a romance (which is what I expected when I bought it).
April 22, 2011
Well written, beautiful, touching and thought provoking story of love.
August 11, 2016
An unexpectedly delightful love story.
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