self preservationRating: 5 stars
Buy Links: 
 Amazon | All Romance
Length: Novel


In his novel, Self Preservation, Ethan Day takes a fairly straightforward plot point of a first love lost and puts his own remarkably unique and laugh out loud spin on it.  The result is a novel that alternates between genuinely heart breaking moments and hysterically funny situations.  It left me breathless—in so many good ways!

The story surrounds Davis and his ex boyfriend, Jack.  For four years they were together and definitely in love, but unfortunately it was not meant to last.  Both men struggled with the separation, but Davis was the one to never truly move on.  So when Jack calls him to ask him to attend his wedding, Davis is nearly devastated, until he decides he will fight to get Jack back in his arms.

Along on this uproarious journey is his fashion designer gal pal, Deseree, who aids and abets all of Davis’ crazy attempts to get Jack to leave his fiancée, Tadd, and return to Davis.  Into this mix enters Alex, Tadd’s best friend and soon to be key to making Jack jealous.  Deseree and Davis easily convince Alex to make a play for Davis right before Jack’s eyes and old feelings definitely begin to kick in.  But, will it be enough to win over Jack, convince him to leave Tadd at the altar and live happily ever after with Davis?

Self Preservation is a brilliant novel!  The fast pace, humor, and well-drawn characters give this story all the elements it needs to keep you entertained page after page.  Davis is so much more than a comic character—he has lost the man he loves and even in the silliest of situations, author Ethan Day constantly reminds us that this attempt to get Jack to return is no joke for Davis.

The love and loss Davis feels are so palpable—and the glimpses we see of Jack’s own moments of despair really bring home the pain that both men suffered over the end of their relationship.  But, you see, Day’s real genius is that those exquisite moments are tempered with such outlandish and rollicking zaniness.  You don’t know whether to laugh or cry!  And, in the end, you fall in love with each of these characters, and truly want to see them get their happy ever after.

A good story takes you through the gamut of emotions and leaves its indelible mark on your heart.  Self Preservation by Ethan Day is a good story—a really good story.  I highly recommend this one to you, dear reader!

sammysig