Back for More

Title: Back for More
Author: Cheryl Dragon
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: Contemporary Multicultural Paranormal (M/M)
Length: Novel (176 pages)
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A Guest Review by Aunt Lynn

MY BLURB

Steve Calloway and Alex Mather had been best friends in high school. Both boys gay, Steve wanted Alex, but Alex refused Steve a physical relationship, making it clear he only wanted friendship. Jump ahead 10 years. Steve is a recovering sex addict. A recovery program and therapy have helped him deal with the day-to-day need, but it never unearthed the reason behind the addiction, which is key for him to heal properly. Once he learns that Alex is back in town, now a successful past life regression hypnotherapist, Steve goes looking for his help. Alex is reluctant; he knows that he has shared past lives with Steve and perhaps cannot be objective. Can revisiting those past lives both give Steve his answer and provide the basis for them getting it right in this life?

THE REVIEW

I liked this original story about the fight to get it right. Back for More has an interesting premise: two people who have shared almost every past life together must revisit those lives to learn enough to answer a question about one of the protags, but also make the one being lived now work properly for our heroes. Spanning about a week in time, it seems like it’s longer because of the regressions.

Steve Calloway used to be a major player, having sex — not relationships — with literally hundreds of men. Since he was 16, he went through “every gay, bi, and confused guy in three high schools.” He had wanted Alex badly, but was glad in the end that Alex said “no;” he would have screwed Alex, then screwed up their friendship. A risk taker, he turned his attention to the rest of the available male population, anywhere, any how. After hitting bottom, he realized that he had a problem, entered into rehab, and has been celibate for the last six months. This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have urges, because he does — a lot — but the program and the therapy have taught him how to handle them. He is a sympathetic character; he feels lonely, he feels that he doesn’t deserve to have a healthy relationship because of both his past lives and his behaviour in this one, he feels like he has hurt Alex more than he could ever have known. He wants a relationship, even knows that he wants it with Alex, but his addiction won't let him. He MUST get to the bottom of this.

Alex Mather comes from a long line of psychics on his mother’s Latina side. From a young age, he learned about hypnosis, herbs, and past lives, and knows that there is meaning behind everything life throws at you. He has always thought about Steve, the one he wanted, but didn’t have by his own choice. Refusing to be another notch on Steve’s giant bed post, Alex firmly stated that he only wanted to be friends with him, then sat back and watched Steve sex up all the guys he could. Now, 10 years later, Steve is back in his life looking for answers that perhaps only Alex can give, but will his feelings get in the way? He is torn between wanting to help, the anxiety of knowing what they’ll find when they begin the sessions, wanting more from Steve, and feeling like he can’t trust a sex addict with his heart.

It’s interesting to see how each life affected the current one, regardless of who Steve and Alex were. Alex guides Steve through four past lives; each one meaningful, where the dynamic between them — and the happenings during that time — has an impact on how each man is today. As the story unravels, it becomes clear as to why Steve has the problems he does: love, suffering, and death await in various configurations, some lives more painful than others. You can’t help rooting for these two, hoping that this will be the life where they get it right.

A few issues:

Steve’s behaviour in the beginning of the book, as shown in the very first paragraph, is a little creepy/stalker-y to me

Steve Calloway sat in his car and stared at the modern L.A. office building as he struggled with his urges. Alex Mather was in there. Since Steve’s mother had informed him that his old high school pal was back in town and what he did for a living, Steve had been obsessed.

He then has a sexual fantasy of Alex, comes in his pants, cleans up, and goes in to see the man he was fantasizing about. It was a little disturbing to me.

I also had some question about Alex’s objectiveness when it comes to having Steve as a patient, especially one with whom he shares both past lives and a current sexual relationship. Luckily, Alex has similar concerns early on:

Everything in Alex’s body screamed to help Steve. Hold him, make it all better. Explore his mind and past lives and heal him so Alex could have him for himself. Selfish and unprofessional, Alex still needed to do it.

and

“I shouldn’t do this with a patient. I’m messed up right now, Steve.”

and

“What kind of awful therapist does this make me? You’re addicted to sex, and here I am, tempting you with it.”

OVERALL

Back for More is an unusual, intriguing and well-written tale, and those who have interest in past life regression will find this to be especially interesting.