Finding Home by Lauren Baker and Bonnie Dee
Source: Purchased
Format: Kindle, 300 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: 01/06/2006
Reading Level: Adult/ Mature YA (17+)
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Drama, Sociology
Goodreads Summary: Her family, her friends and her conscience all say it's wrong to fall for the hustler she rescued from the streets. How come it feels so right? When Megan first meets Mouth, a homeless teenage hustler, on the streets of L.A., he's the perfect subject for the street life expose she hopes will help her break into journalism. She doesn't expect to be drawn into his life and become his friend-or to take him in after he's been beaten and robbed by thugs. As they learn to live together, a powerful attraction flourishes between Megan and the young man. Although he's street smart, tough and mature, he's also a youth in transition. When they finally give in to the sexual heat between them, Megan fears she's taking advantage of her position as his mentor. Their relationship challenges every aspect of her life. Megan must make difficult choices between the conflicting demands of her friends and family, her career and love. Warning: Explicit sex, reference to underage sex, graphic language, violence.
Megan, a 23 year old aspiring writer, was working on her debut article that covers the life of kids in the boulevard who sells their bodies for money. Really wanting to prove she had talent to her boss other than proofreading, she pursued getting interviews from the kids themselves and that's where she met the 17 year old hustler, Sean aka. Mouth.
As Megan spends more time with the kids and at the boulevard, she finds herself attracted at the young man and they started a civilized friendship. After not seeing him for a few days, she finds him beat up. Concerned for his safety, Megan took Sean to her home where he stayed for a while as he tried getting a job and completing his GED. As the days go by, the sexual tension between them sizzles and the two finds themselves in a situation that has written doomed from the start.
Whoa, what a ride. Realistic.. heartbreaking and beautiful. The story was written in 3rd person but the thoughts are mostly from Megan. Being attracted to Sean and all, it was pretty weird hearing about her non-stop sexual desires. I like that she wasn't an insecure heroine or a fucked up one, she was... pretty normal but I did questioned her initial intentions with Sean because the girl was pretty damn horny for him. I didn't think this was supposed to be erotica but there was a lot of descriptive sex! She appeared selfish at times but I believe her heart was really in the right place.
"I'm a fucking whore," he continued.
"The people I meet either want to fuck me or fuck me over. End of fucking story."
Oh Sean... you broke my heart. I just wished I could have heard his own thoughts in the story because even though he was there, it didn't really feel like it. The romance plot, his business and his past.. he would have been a more interesting and heartbreaking voice to listen to. I just can't help but feel bad for him especially when he meets Megan's family and friends.
I'd say age is nothing but a number, but i'd be a hypocrite because I know I would have felt better if I knew he was 18 instead. He went through so much and knows so much, it's easy to forget he's only 17. The age thing was almost overkill since the prostitution part was already a potent subject but oh well, it did add more drama.
This book just had everything that can tear your heart to pieces but the last few chapters definitely made it worth the heartbreak. I want more though, Ms. Baker and Ms. Dee should really write a companion novel or a sequel! Maybe Sean's POV or with the other street kids because their stories we're pretty sad too.
Connect with the author:
Lauren Baker: Goodreads
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