Damaged Goods

Damaged Goods - Lauren Gallagher WARNING: Lots of swearing! I tend to try to stay away from this sort of thing, but not here. This book pissed me off.You know, I thought I left behind my conservative Midwestern roots for the most part. Did a bit of growing up, had a few friends of bad influence (you know who you are, you hussies!) However, this book brought out the innocent in me, I think. For the first thirty percent or so of the book, I was really enjoying it. The decision for Jocelyn to go to a male prostitute really isn't that big of a deal. Her developing feelings for him wasn't a shocker either. She's divorced with two kids and a demanding job, sick of the men that run away from dating her after realizing that she has kids, and to be quite blunt...the woman needs a good scrogging and a few screaming orgasms. I'm fine with that. More power to ya, sister!!! My problem comes from the fact that the author spends roughly half of the book trying to convince the reader that Jocelyn and Sabien(Austin) can maintain a loving, honest, SERIOUS relationship while he still fucks other women for a living on a daily basis. Seriously, the guy will get a phone call in the middle of a movie and he has to leave Jocelyn to go do some lady doggy style after going down on her. Then he comes home to Jocelyn, plays kissy face I love you(disgusting!!), and snuggles off into man-whore dreamland. Not only does Jocelyn go along with this job of his, but she defends her boyfriend to her friends to the extent that she loses the friendship when the friend expresses VERY VALID concerns about their relationship! Granted, the friend got a mite judgemental...but under the circumstances Not one, not two...but THREE of Jocelyn's friends had slept with Sabien...he'd done all manner of sexual things to them. Screw that. It would literally be one in a million women that would ever consider a relationship like this. Not in America, no way, no how. ----------------------------------------------------- I WOULD NEVER EVER STAY WITH A MAN THAT CAME HOME WITH ANOTHER WOMAN'S VAGINA ALL OVER HIS FACE. ALMOST DAILY, TO BOOT. Call me a prude, but my husband's dick is now MY dick. And vice versa...errr, sort of. -----------------------------------------------------I know that some of this disgust from me stems from my problem with infidelity. I firmly believe that what you do outside of a relationship is your business. If you want to bone the world, have at it. If you want to get tied down, whipped till you cry, and gang banged, that's your prerogative. But once you are in the arms of a significant other, you are sharing something sacred every time you breathe. You give part of yourself to them, and they to you. Maybe that's mushy, maybe there are a lot of people out there who think differently. It takes all kinds. And I think what Sabien does is wrong. I think Jocelyn is weak and too desperate for a man to make good decisions. In all honesty, had Jocelyn not make few really idiotic statements, I may have been able to just roll my eyes and roll with the story. But when she starts comparing Sabien "damaged goods" because of his whore status and to herself as "damaged goods" because of her MOTHER status, I lost all respect for her. Here are a few quotes that made me wish I could slap this woman.(When Sabien expresses concern for when he gets a hooker call in the middle of the night or day)---"The same could be said for when the novelty wears of having my kids call while we're out, having to schedule and reschedule when one of them gets sick, that kind of thing..."Wait....just wait...Did she just compare the inconvenience of a sick child to the inconvenience of a cash booty call? Why yes, yes she did! But oh, wait! She wasn't finished...same convo, a bit later...still talking about her kids."I just don't want you to think I'm putting you last."Ummm...SHOULDN'T you put your boyfriend last in line when you're talking about your kids? Yes, yes you should...if you're a good mother, that is. I'm sorry, kids...my fuckbuddy comes first now. No, thanks. "I just don't see him as anyone other than Austin. Now that I know him, what he does for a living is...irrelevant."Oh, and Sabien's excuse for not finding a job that requires him to fuck other women? Bad economy...the biggest crock of crap excuse EVAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nuff said...