The Secret Lives of People in Love
Simon Van Booy
2007
155 pages
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Obligatory FTC disclosure: You can blame this one on Bookfool, since I won my copy from her.
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I’ve been meaning to read Simon Van Booy for awhile, mainly because Bookfool thinks he’s the next best thing to chocolate and if you read her blog there’s no escaping Simon. 
So when I won a copy of this book (yippee! and thank you!) I pretty much considered it a sign from the book gods and I read it sooner rather than later.
And it was good.
Good like peanut butter cup cheesecake from Taco Temple, which is one of my favorite desserts because it’s not too sweet. It’s dense, not fluffy, and it’s got a lot going on (chocolate crust, peanut butter cheesecake, chocolate ganache topping and drizzles of chocolate on top…just in case you were wondering). And despite all the chocolately goodness, I promise it’s not sickly sweet.
Okay, enough about dessert, since I don’t want you all to run off and look up cheesecake recipes in your cookbooks.
The Secret Lives of People in Love is a small book of short stories. Some of the things I liked about the stories were the various settings (Paris, Rome, New York), the little bits of quirk, and the flawed characters. While the stories all center around love, this is not your typical mushy HEA love. This is real, gritty love. Even if you don’t think you like short stories, I’d recommend this collection to you. It’s beautifully written and extremely readable. And the first story packs a punch.
So, just like I shared a piece of the above described cheesecake with my mom this past weekend, I’m going to share this book with one of you. If you saw my post yesterday, this is in the list of books that I’m giving away. Just sayin’, in case you’re interested.
We need a post, by the way, on how you conquered your sweet tooth. Or other Jills need the post, at any rate…
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..Review of “Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” by Alan Bradley =-.
Gah! Now everyone’s going to want this one based on your review… Well that or peanut butter cup cheesecake. Also? Taco Temple sounds like a place I need to go.
.-= Steph´s last blog ..“Elizabeth Costello” by J.M. Coetzee =-.
I’m not a huge fan of short stories, but this collection does sound good to me.
This sounds like a good one…
.-= JoAnn´s last blog ..Introducing Lakeside Kitchen =-.
That sounds wonderful! Hope your birthday was fantastic Jill!
.-= Victoria´s last blog ..Wuthering Heights Wednesdays Chapters 7-9 =-.
This sounds as good as the Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake! I’m going to have to check this author out!
.-= Colette A Buckeye Girl Reads´s last blog ..The Book List Meme: What are your 3 Favorite Eras to Read About? =-.
I love short story collections and the title of this one just stopped me in my tracks. Thanks! (Oh, and now I want cheesecake.)
I am intrigued, I might have to check out this author. And that cheesecake
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Review: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer =-.
Your review definitely made me hungry – that cheesecake that you described sounds out of this world! But the book also sounds quite enjoyable. I’ll probably be picking up the book before a piece of cheesecake – I’m trying to cut down on the sweets and yesterday I slipped up indulging in a piece of cake AND ice cream. Whoops.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Review: The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax =-.
I have been craving chocolate and peanut butter recently. Chocolate AND peanut butter AND cheesecake makes my mouth water.
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Conversation =-.
Simon von Booy … sigh … the man can write!
Taco Temple? The funniest name for a restaurant, ever! (and that cheesecake sounds like serious yum!)
(yes, three exclamation marks in the comment, sorry.)
.-= Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: What food magazines do you read? =-.
I just love that there’s a temple devoted to tacos.
.-= She´s last blog ..Harry Potter 7 – JK Rowling =-.
Why oh why did you have to go and describe that dessert like that when I am trying to lose weight (again)?
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..Show Me 5 Saturday: "Julie & Julia" by Julie Powell =-.
Um….I want that cheesecake NOW! Glad you enjoyed this one Jill
I absolutely loved it too! One of my all time favorite short story collections!
.-= Chris´s last blog ..Spring Gardening =-.
You know, I read a story of van Booey’s last year and didn’t like it at all. :/ Until then, I’d been desperate to read this collection (my library doesn’t carry it), but then I kind of wrote him off. I guess I should give him a second chance!
.-= Eva´s last blog ..Library Loot: April 21-27, 2010 =-.
You’re not giving away cheesecake? I’m not a huge short story fan, but perhaps I’ll see if my library has a copy.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Challenge: 2010 EW Summer Books =-.
I had a feeling that you would respond favorably to the settings in Van Booy’s stories.
I’ve been wanting to read Van Booy’s book — and now that you are mentioning him so soon after your give-away post, my chances of winning are now probably nil, ha ha. That’s ok — he’s definitely on my radar anyway.
.-= Valerie´s last blog ..The Winner of “Emotional Geology”! =-.
I said something (probably, it was scathingly brilliant — that always happens with the comments that disappear) on Tuesday and it didn’t show up. Doggone it. Well . . . great review. I’m glad you found Simon worthy of comparison to your favorite desert and I’m thrilled that we have no peanut butter cup cheesecake on hand. I haven’t even had breakfast, you know.
.-= Bookfool, aka Nancy´s last blog ..Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell =-.
I received a copy of this last week so I’m so glad I can run off into the sunset with this. The peanut butter cup cheesecake sounds delicious though can you believe I’ve never had cheesecake before?
.-= Vasilly´s last blog ..Library Loot or where am I ever going to find the time to read all of this? =-.