I could never have imagined two so very different men getting together, but wow! The pairing of Michael and Jarrod is ironic, cathartic and intense. I liked Jerrod right away, with his electric blue eyes and blond hair. He's pretty desperate at this point and I felt compassion for his predicament. Jerrod is sweet and kind, the kind of man that just tries to do the right thing, but he gets overwhelmed and takes a wrong turn. I think he would have most likely veered off that bad path and back to the right one if it weren't for Michael's high-and-mighty taunting.
Michael is not a likeable person. Rich and spoiled, he thinks he is entitled to live off of daddy's millions. That's bad enough, but he takes true pleasure in talking down to others simply to prove his superiority and revels in the opportunity to humiliate his so-called friends. By the time of their first meeting, I wanted Jerrod to shoot him! But then...I realized Michael could be redeemed.
It's not immediate, which I think gave his metamorphosis more credibility. Michael has to come to terms with the person he is and why, and the despicable monster he has become. Jerrod's influence during their time together makes him want to face his demons, for the first time. I would have thought that the extreme nature of their forced co-habitation — and the intimacy that takes place — would have been enough for his epiphany, but it isn’t. This fact enhanced the story so much for me because he needs more wake-up calls for him to truly grow. But Jerrod is the starting point for Michael and I loved this aspect of Michael's journey and the romance between the two.
Jerrod and Michael together are tantalizing and tormenting at the same time, as they try to find their way to one another. All sorts of good things happen toward the end, eventualities I was rooting for, which just makes it better and better. Another winner from G. A. Hauser that I enthusiastically recommend!
