God and Sex
By Jon Raymond

Arthur is a somewhat successful writer of spiritual books. He is searching for inspiration on a new book when he meets Phil, a college professor who becomes a close friend and mentor. He also meets Phil's wife, Sarah, a college librarian.

As the couple draws him into their circle of close friends, Arthur's feelings about them begin to change. Sarah and Arthur fall in love and have an affair. The lovers eventually decide that they want to have a life together, thus requiring that Sarah tell Phil and ask for a divorce. But before that conversation can happen, Sarah's life is threatened in a forest fire and Arthur goes to search for her. When he finds her, trapped and apparently lifeless, Arthur prays for a miracle. He bargains with a God he doesn't believe in and vows to give up Sarah if her life is spared.

What happens then is mysterious – is it a miracle, is there really a God, is Arthur bound to uphold his end of the bargain? What exactly is it that holds the universe together?

This is a well written but very strange book. If you have doubts – as many of us do – about the existence of a creator, this book leaves you with much to think about.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

I am not an enthusiastic fan of this book. I was intrigued by the description, and I tend to gravitate toward novels that explore spirituality. I guess the tip -off on this one should have been sex in the title and term carnal knowledge in the promotional blurb. The intimate scenes were too graphic for my taste and seemed devoid of morality based on the protagonist’s books that reflect spirituality with science.

Arthur Zinn is a forty-something author who has had a mildly successful career. After his last book on Light failed to achieve any recognition, he retreats to his mother’s home in Ashland, Oregon to regroup and plan his next writing project. As Arthur contemplates writing a unique perspective on trees, he meets Phil, a college professor with a focus on ecology. Through his deepening friendship with Phil, Arthur becomes acquainted with Phil’s wife, Sarah, with whom he begins a lust fueled affair.

The pace of the novel is slow with detailed explanations of trees – both from a natural and symbolic viewpoint. The pace picks up with a description of a monstrous wildfire on Mount Hood which leads to an event that calls into question Arthur’s beliefs about God and spirituality. His dilemma is understandable, but it left me wondering how far he would go to rationalize his behavior in the betrayal of his friend. This is a flawed protagonist that does not engender much goodwill.

My appreciation to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

There was a lot to like about for me: it felt like a late night conversation you had with your roommates freshman year in the dorm. It felt vaguely academic, philosophical and collegial. I could understand the main character and his quest both to write the right book and to solve his life conundrums. I was immediately taken under the author's wing, the writing style feeling comforting and compelling at the same time.

Unfortunately, I really disliked how the book turned, maybe 80-85% in. It felt rushed, tacked on, and to me, just didn't fit the rest of the story's tone.

Even so, I quite liked this journey. Would I read more from the author? Absolutely.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

God and Sex is about writing a book about writing a book about trees. It is also a love story and an in ternal debate about belief in God. Arthur, a kind of naturalist author, whose previous book was about light (?). It is also a graphic and erotic novel about love, sex and friendship. It takes place in Oregon, where Arthur is living in his other's old house and researching a book following a less than well-reviewed previous tome. Arthur meets Phil, a professor at a local university and they become friends. Arthur also meets and falls in love with Phil's wife, Sarah.

The only really gripping portion of the novel describes a fast-moving forest fire. Much of the information about the life of trees and the reclamation of meadows left me skipping pages and fighting boredom. The other somewhat interesting and thought-provoking writing are the chapters dealing with negotiating with God. This novel may appeal to some readers, but it was not, unfortunately, my cup of tea.

Thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the chance to read this strangely titled ARC. (But I guess I can see why Jon Raymond chose it.