Book Review – Damaged Goods by Lauren Gallagher

Damaged Goods
I was doing a bit of “What to Read After Fifty” research and happened upon this book. It wasn’t even on my radar until yesterday but OMG my jaw dropped (just look at that gorgeous cover)!! I HAD to know just who was the damaged goods in this one, and I so wanted to walk that path with them.

So… I downloaded the sample. You know… just so I wouldn’t forget it amongst my huge TBR list. Sometimes it’s out of sight, out of mind with me, and with a cover like that constantly in my face, I new I’d be on it soon enough. And I went back to the book I HAD been reading but I couldn’t stop thinking about this one. My current read was good, but this one was calling me so I went ahead and read that sample. And that was it. I was hooked.

The writing was right up my alley. The nervewracking situation… those “I have a feeling I already know where this is going, but I MUST experience it!!” thoughts. I moved all TBR’s and even the one I was reading down a notch ’cause this one was hitting my immediate need. See… I can never wholeheartedly trust my own “To Be Read” lists. No matter how I organize them, this kind of stuff seems to always happen. I find one that I just can’t walk away from.

So what’s it about? A 30-something divorcee who is tired of the dating scene and all of the issues and expectations and disappointments that come with trying to find love, intimacy or just plain sex. So, her best friends recommend the Elite Escort Agency, and she hires “Sabian”.

… my stomach was still a ball of guilty, self-loathing nerves.

I couldn’t decide what bothered me more: that I’d done what I did with Sabian or that my love life had gotten so pathetic and frustrating that I’d felt the need to resort to it.

He’s gorgeous, twenty-something, tattooed and a real pro. He’s awoken something in her, and she can’t get enough. They play well together (oh boy… do they ever)…

“I already know what’s going to happen.” His tone was caught in some spine-tingling gray area between teasing and growling. He raised his head and looked down at me. “But I want to know what you want.”

… until their connection hits a whole. ‘Nother. Level.

I wondered again if an escort had been a bad idea. Every man’s charisma and chemistry were measured against Sabian’s. My entire sexual world had shifted beneath the weight of this two nights, and everything was filtered through Sabian-tinted glasses.

Now what?! And that’s when the real fun begins. This book suddenly changes from sexual fantasies and fulfillment, to real life emotion and the problems they suddenly encounter. Where does it go from here? To me, that is ALWAYS fun to explore.

Maryse: I just read one last night that I really enjoyed

Jackie: would I? what’s it called?

Maryse: Damaged Goods. About a divorced 34 year old who has been on the dating market for a few years, hates it, and hires a gorgeous escort for a few romps from an Elite escort company but then… there’s a connection. It’s good actually because imagine getting attached to someone like that… and knowing what he does for a living?

Jackie: sounds like a ‘me’ book

Maryse: YES I DO recommend it for a good fast read. 4 hours is all it took me and the cover is JUST GORGEOUS

Jackie: yep just saw the cover – and 5 good reviews

Maryse: yep… and the author has a really good, realistic voice and the hero is tattoed

Jackie: you are such a sucker for a tatt!

Did it satisfy? YES!! Even more today then I thought, now that I’ve had a day to reflect on it. Fantastic read. Not perfect. Would have been 5 stars for me, had there been a bit more depth, more exploration of the turmoil, and especially more one on one personal time between the two characters (well, I mean, there was plenty of one on one considering what he does for a living… hee hee!!).

But you know. Talking. Cuddling. Arguing. Cuddling. Crying. There was tons of potential, and much of it was played out, and/or touched upon, but I wanted to live it more. More real life living, and I would have probably been ecstatic with it. Don’t get me wrong, though. I seriously SERIOUSLY struggled with certain… things. In fact, I was getting quite worked up and my imagination was running wild with frenzy. And it wasn’t even my situation to get mad about!! Imagine? So yes, the author did great. I just wanted… more detail? More involvement. More time to play in the angst.

Still, though, I love finding books about love in seriously unconventional, unusual and possibly detrimental situations. Trying to find the balance between what the heart wants, and what logic dictates. And I especially love when the balance goes completely out of whack and the “detrimental” suddenly needs to be dealt with. *sigh* My heart can barely handle the agony of stories like that, but I’m addicted and always wants more, anyway. I’m a sucker for book pain!

Almost perfect, but just… not long enough for how amazing it could have been. Okay, I’m being greedy. It was great, I just wanted more. Can’t fault a girl for wanting more of a good thing. 😉

P.S. The book indicates 272 pages, but I dunno. I’m a normal/fast reader and it usually takes me quite a few hours to read a 300 or so page book. I whizzed through this one in only 3 to 4 hours, so either it’s shorter then what is listed, OR it was just so darn good that I read it in speed-demon mode. Either way, I recommend it!

4 stars!