Review: Maldeamores

Rating: 5 stars
Author: Mara White
Genre: Romance/Erotica
Publisher: Heightsbound

I should have known what I was getting myself into. I read White’s first novel Heights of Desire in one sitting, palms sweating, agonizing about what was going to happen—even though I knew, from the blurb that I wasn’t going to get my happy ending.

The same was true of Maldeamores, the third in her Heightsbound series, I couldn’t put it down, and believe me, I tried. At two am, frantically worrying about lack of sleep, I thought maybe I could just finish in the morning. But who was I kidding? Screw sleep. I had to know what happened to Lucky and Belén.

There is no disclaimer about the lack HEA on this one, but maybe there should be because it goes against the grain for normal romance readership (though the prologue will give you a pretty good idea). Though, if you’ve read White’s other books you know that a happy ending isn’t really her style.  I’m the type of reader that enjoys reading outside of my comfort zone so it worked for me. That’s one of the reason I’ve so enjoyed White’s books. The other reason is that the woman always nails the voices of her main characters. White’s writing is sharp and her characterization distinct and spot on. She writes Spanish Harlem in New York City like no one else you can practically imagine yourself watching the story from the corner bodega. And, perhaps the thing I enjoy most she has an uncanny ability to write an authentic, Hispanic-male, bad-boy. Need I say more? Yum.

The real issue here, and what is going to perhaps turn people off is the topic of this book: incest. I suppose we can argue that cousin to cousin romance isn't technically incest-- but really? think about that doesn't make you the tiniest bit squeamish? It does me. I guess if incest is an absolute deal-breaker for you then put the book down now, but I urge you to read on because it’s worth it. I’ve read a couple of books on the subject of incest, most notably Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma which is both disturbing and amazing. Reading that book you are uncomfortable, questioning everything, but you can’t put it down. This story is like that, though perhaps more tame. I have stayed away from the more popular, voyeuristic titles on incest-that-really-isn’t-incest: books about step-brothers and adopted siblings etc. Those books sole purpose is to titillate with the idea of the forbidden without actually delving into the issue for real. I think those books are fine, they are just not for me.

This isn’t one of those books.

There is nothing hedonistic about White’s exploration of the idea of two cousins falling in love with one another, though I wasn’t sure for the first part of the book. In the first 30%, I wondered where White was going with her characters and her conflict. The beginning of the novel explores Belén and Lucky’s childhood as they grow up, grow apart, and grow more and more attracted to one another, and while I enjoyed that part, the novel grew in depth in the latter half.

The second part of the novel follows Lucky to the marines and Belén to Vassar, as they continue to think about, and fight with their feelings for one another. Certainly there is a good amount of erotic content, particularly toward the end, including a ménage situation. It should be noted, that this ménage serves to further the plot not just because the author really wanted a menage.

However, what pushed this book from one that I was enjoying, to one that I couldn’t put down, was what happens after Belén goes to college away from home. There Belén begins to explore of the topic of being in love with her cousin, and the book takes on a different tone. She discusses the topic with her roommate and best friend, goes to therapy, and even joins a support group for co-dependency in an attempt to grapple with this issue. Giving the reader access to all of those different perspectives on the conflict added a lot to the book and made it much more than just a naughty book about two cousins who love each other.  Because quite frankly, as Belén struggled with her feelings, so did I.

I hesitate to call this a romance. It is sort of a genre-bending novel. It IS a romance, but it doesn’t follow the formula. It has elements of erotica too, but while your reading those parts, at times you feel like maybe you should be disgusted instead of riveted. And, like White’s other books, this is a tragedy and it is taboo. All that rolled together makes for one damn fine read, and I loved it.