Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Based On Availability


From the very first page of this stunning novel, readers are drawn into the lives of eight seemingly ordinary women who pass through Manhattan's swanky Four Seasons Hotel. While offering sanctuary to some, solace to others, the hotel captures their darkest moments as they grapple with family, sex, power, love and death.

Trish obsesses over her best friend's wedding and dramatic weight loss. Robin wants revenge after a lifetime of abuse at the hands of her older sister. Anne is single, lonely and suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Drug -addicted rock star Louise needs to dry out. Southerner turned wannabe Manhattanite Franny is envious of her neighbor's lives. Shelia wants to punish her boyfriend for returning to his wife. Ellen so desperately wants children that she insists she is pregnant to her disbelieving husband. And Morgan, the hotel manager - haunted by the memory of her dead sister - is the thread that weaves these women's lives together. (excerpt back cover).

I found this book amusing, sad, and somewhat haunting at times as you immerse yourself in the life stories each of these women find themselves in. Their lives are all woven together by their brief encounters at the Four Seasons Hotel along with the hotel manager Morgan whom you meet in the first chapter. Morgan is obsessed with the hotel and the lives of the people she happens across while rummaging through their rooms while the guests are out. She finds their prescriptions medicines which she is more than happy to take a few while looking at the contents of their room. I found this disturbing due to the position of hotel manager that Morgan is in.

The book has some profanity scattered throughout the pages and sexual encounters with married men and hotel staff, but other than that, the book is creatively told how each of their lives are connected in some way with another's.

I received Based On Availability from Alix Strauss, compliments of TLC Book Tours and would rate this a 6 out of 10. It's available in paperback and eBook formats. For more information on this book, the author and how to purchase a copy, please click on the link below:

http://tlcbooktours.com/2010/04/alix-strauss-author-of-based-upon-availability-on-tour-june-2010/

I am offering one lucky winner the chance to win a copy of this book simply by clicking on my link to my book giveaway blog. Click here to enter.

5 comments:

Amy said...

Sounds like an interesting book. What a catchy title. As always thank you for stopping by and visiting my husbands blog as well :) ~Blessings to you ! Amy

KrippledWarrior said...

These are the stories that make me thank God for how simple my life is.

Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith said...

Thanks for this review!

Bill ;-)

http://drbillsbookbazaar.blogspot.com/2010/06/help-settle-bet-ok.html
Author of "Back to the Homeplace"
and "13 Ways to Tell Your Ancestor Stories"

Denise said...

Good review.

Anonymous said...

I've seen mixed reviews of this book so I'm glad to see that you did enjoy it for the most part. And I agree that the fact that Morgan is snooping in people's rooms is CRAZY!

Thanks for being a part of the tour.