AN OCEAN WITHOUT A SHORE
BY SCOTT SPENCER

I remember when I was a young teenager my mother and I going to see the movie, "Endless Love." It was based on the book by Scott Spencer. If you are old enough to remember that movie then you already know what an intelligent writer Scott Spencer is on the complexities and multilayered emotions that are involved by a life long love. A love so deep that starts in youth until you realize that that object of your desire is not in love with you in quite the same way. This gem of a novel is written so beautifully and the author has a deft command of language. There were so many philosophical observations about life that I would have filled this review with hundreds of quotes. Scott Spencer is sophisticated enough to understand what motivates people in every kind of relationship.

In this cleverly plotted tale of a gay man named Christopher Wood--nicknamed Kip, as a reader I was so enamored by the dialogue between Christopher and all of the characters. Christopher is narrating the story of how he is in a jail of his own making by the end of the story. He fell in love with Thaddeus in their youth. Thaddeus and Kip are best friends. Thaddeus is married to Grace who he confides to Kip that he doesn't think that his daughter Emma is his. Thaddeus thinks Grace had an affair with a handyman that lives on their property. Thaddeus is a struggling writer of screenplays in particular and living on many acres of beautiful undeveloped land in the Hudson Valley outside of New York City. Grace is also a struggling artist whose paintings have gotten nothing but rejections until recently. The couple live beyond their means in a huge old antiquated house that is falling apart and they can't afford to heat.

It is Kip whom Thaddeus asks for a loan of $130,000.00 dollars in exchange for some acres of their land. It is understood between both Kip and Thaddeus that the arrangement is only temporary and when Thaddeus pays back Kip that Kip will surrender his acres of land. Kip is a broker on Wall Street and money is of no importance to him as he earns a fortune. Kip does realize how pervasive money can be in our society. Kip is kind he is noble and he has loved Thaddeus into their middle aged years but always keeping it a secret as he is a private man.

When Thaddeus's mother commits suicide in her used bookstore in Chicago Kip witnesses some pretty grotesque behavior from Thaddeus as he demands to see the will in his mother's lawyer's office. He practically assaults the attorney because she says that it has to be registered with the court first. It is Kip that Thaddeus calls to fly from the bay area in California to make the final arrangements with regarding his mother's affairs such as cremation. Thaddeus is so money hungry he ransacks first the bookstore and then her apartment.

Thaddeus reminded me of an immature opportunist that was delusional about his talent as a writer living in a loveless marriage. He knows that Kip has always loved him and he wasn't beneath asking Kip to put his job on the line not to mention prison by asking Kip for information about what we know would be inside trading.

This was a superbly well written novel handling the dynamics of a love that is taken for granted by Thaddeus and I felt that the scales were tipped and that there was a power imbalance between them. I don't want to give anymore spoiler information but I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved this novel. There is so much wisdom written into the plot and the characterization's brilliantly done. As I said Scott Spencer writes interesting observations about what motivates us as human's and his prose is simply exquisite. This is a stunning work that I am grateful to have had the opportunity to discover. Brilliant insights. Poetic narrative. A book that I was sorry to say goodbye to when it ended. Highly recommended and Five plus stars!

Thank you to Net Galley, Scott Spencer and HarperCollin's Publisher's for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This one didn't catch my attention right off the bat, so struggled through it a bit. I do not believe we would have a readership for this particular novel.

Very well written novel about an obsessive love and the odd passion and friendship that are part of this. I have liked Spencer’s other books better. I really didn’t relate to the main characters.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

An emotional moving novel.A book that drew me in to the story the characters.Literary fiction at its best.A book that you will want to read slowly to savor the writing.#netgalley #harpercollins

An Ocean Without a Shore by author Scott Spencer is a beautifully written novel that does not disappoint! Definitely pulled at my heart strings! Definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.